Reunion Underneath the Sun Dappled Trees
by MoonlightShadow1990
Summary: Guts has come to face Casca who finally has her memories back, it won't be easy, but battles never are. So how do you fight a mental battle when you excel at being physical? Guts doesn't know the answer either... that is, until he draws his Dragonslayer. (KM is the King of Cliffhangers. So until Berserk returns, here's a fic that continues the story line directly after 355)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to the great Kentaro Miura.

Hello Strugglers. It's been a long time since I posted here but I just finished binge reading Berserk by Kentaro Miura and the cliffhanger he left me on was devastating, so I decided to just get all my feelings out in a little one shot. I hope you all enjoy it.

 **Berserk**

 **Reunion Underneath the Sun Dappled Trees**

 **By: MoonlightShadow1990**

There she was. As beautiful as she'd always been. Standing in the grass, barefoot, dressed in all white, innocent and soft. If Guts had an ounce of patience left he'd have settled up against a tree to watch her for a moment from afar. But his patience had long run out and he hadn't much to begin with.

So he headed forth towards the clearing through the trees, where his beloved Casca was. Nervousness swept through his entire body, so much so, he wanted to vomit. He squeezed his fists tightly to keep his emotions down but damn it, it had been so long.

Casca had lost her memories after the most horrific night of their lives. The Eclipse. She'd closed into herself becoming nothing more than an infant, unable to protect herself, walk properly or even speak.

What was worse was when he'd woken up from the ordeal, four days later, he'd gone to see her with the hope of holding her to him and thanking Skull Knight for showing up when he did to get them out of there. However, that hope was far too fleeting.

Casca made his heart pound and his body hard and she'd been drenched under the waterfall wearing nothing more than a thin gown. That flimsy garment hid nothing from his eyes- or eye to be specific.

He'd stepped toward her and she stepped back. Fear so thick and palpable coursed through his veins. It couldn't be, he thought at first. So he tried again, reaching out to her, taking her hand, pulling her. But she pulled away, shrieking, a sound he'd never heard Casca make before. She ran to hide behind Erica, Godot the swordsmith's ward. Then Rickert explained to him that Casca didn't remember them and only trusted Erica, a female.

He couldn't blame her. Not after what had happened to her. It hurt. Pain seared through him white hot at her understandable rejection. So he'd ran out and cried because what else could he do? The emotions had welled up and rushed out of him in a torrent.

To Casca he was just some big, mean looking man in black who could hurt her just like the demons had… just like Griffith had.

Damn Griffith.

No. He wouldn't think of that bastard. Right now, it would be about Casca. He'd gotten his tears out, he'd killed tons of apostles and was ready to kill even more, he'd moved on. But Casca, she hadn't cried it out, she hadn't fought it out, hadn't come to terms with what had happened, hadn't made her resolve to fight.

And she would fight. Now that her memories were back, she would fight alongside him and he wouldn't stop her. He'd worry yes, and probably have one eye on her (albeit that's the only number of eyes he could have on her since he only had one now), but still he'd train harder and ensure that they both made it out of their battles together, maybe not unscathed, but together.

She needed to fight, just as he did.

That was why he didn't stop to give her time to herself. The moment the fairy queen had mind linked and told him she had awakened, he headed for her.

And there she was, damn it so beautiful. For a split second, Guts wanted to turn on his heel, run off, find a waterfall, or a lake, some freezing cold body of water, take his armor off and drench himself before coming to see her.

Maybe he should've found something else to wear. She was dressed differently, maybe he should've put a little more into their reunion underneath the sun dappled trees.

But he couldn't wait. He'd change later. He needed her, he needed her willingly in his arms; needed her willingly kissing him or slapping him- he didn't care. She could run him through with a sword too, anything, he just needed to know she was back to being the Casca he knew and loved.

And then it happened.

His eye locked on hers and the moment she saw him, he knew something was wrong because the wail she let out pierced the heavens, it was so loud it could burst eardrums.

Guts stopped, heart breaking. He could hear his heart shattering in his chest. This was it. She'd splinter again. She was going to regress again. She'd never be the same again.

"Guts!" Puck flicked his nose and Guts realized he was on the verge of hyperventilating, full scale panic was beginning to set in. "You don't look too good, what's wrong?"

"She's screaming," he gritted his teeth. He didn't like to show his more fragile side but Casca made him feel that way. She made him feel a lot of things. But he sure hated feeling as weak and useless as he did at that moment.

"It's not you," Puck told him.

"What?" He glared at the tiny blue haired winged elf who had been with him almost from the very beginning of his journey to destroy the apostles and terminate Griffith and the godhand.

"Guts, you're a fighter aren't you?" Puck asked him.

Guts didn't understand. Yes, he was a fighter and one hell of a fighter he was. He had all the scars to prove it- emotionally, physically and mentally.

"You're a fighter aren't you?" Puck was buzzing around his face.

"Yes you damned bug, I'm a fighter," he growled out. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Fighters don't run away do they?" Puck crossed his arms, his big eyes narrowing.

"No," Guts shook his head. "What are you trying to tell me?"

She's fighting a battle and you're running away!" Puck pointed at him. "

Was he trying to run? He'd never run away from a challenge before. But this was different wasn't it? No. It wasn't different. Puck was right. It was a battle and Casca, former leader of the Band of Hawk, was all alone fighting it.

Guts balled his fists and trudged forward, passing Puck only to stop for a moment and say, "Thanks."

"Go get her, Guts," Puck whispered but Guts could hear it clearly.

And get her he would. Guts strode forth and watched as Casca began to stumble back, away from him. Tears were pouring down her face. He could hear Schierke and Farnese's shock but he didn't care.

Casca was fighting. He wouldn't let her fight alone, he didn't know how to get her see she wasn't alone. He wasn't good with words like how Judeau had been, he really only knew how to use his sword.

His sword.

Guts reached back, grabbed the handle and pulled his sword from his back. Casca screamed and stumbled to the grassy floor. He didn't know what she was seeing but Guts lifted his sword and heard Ivalera, Puck, Schierke and Farnese scream at him. They didn't understand.

Good. It would freak him out if they understood something he didn't. All he knew was his sword, so he would use it.

"Guts what are your doing!" Farnese shrieked and stepped toward him, but Guts made it clear with his massive frame she was not to interfere.

Guts continued to close the space between him and Casca who was frightened out of her mind. She'd backed up into a tree, unable to go anywhere now. There were demons in her eyes and he would slay them all. Every hellish image, he'd destroy.

Guts lifted his sword and struck…

The ground.

The clearing went quiet as the thick Dragonslayer embedded itself into the grassy floor. And then Guts, on bended knee, held his head down. Subservient.

She couldn't possibly know it. But she was his queen.

He was her dark knight. Her very own dragon slayer. He couldn't protect her back then but he was different now, stronger now. He wanted her to use him. He didn't care for what purpose, just use him. Accept him and use him to slay all her demons, to seek her vengeance.

With his head down Guts did the only thing he could do at that moment. Wait.

Casca's entire body froze. The shadow had the shape of a hound, a dark hound. It had closed the space between them hadn't run her through with his sword. She'd seen demons all around that dark hound, they'd been everywhere and even beneath her. One had opened up on the ground beneath her, seeking to swallow her when suddenly, the dark hound impaled the creature with his mighty weapon.

Shocked, Casca watched as suddenly, demon in the ground was suddenly absorbed by the weapon. Then every demon hovering about, was pulled into the blade. There were so many, hundreds and hundreds sucked into the sword but the dark hound wasn't being pulled in.

And then all the demons were gone, and Casca found herself in a world of white, there was only the sword and the dark hound. The hound bent its massive head before her, a gesture of acquiescence to her. There was no ferocity in the creature. It was a powerful creature but before her it was unthreatening.

She stayed there, staring at the creature. It was waiting. She knew it was waiting. She didn't really know what it was waiting for but… but it was patient with her. Waiting for her to figure out what it was waiting for. She didn't have anything to give it. Was it hungry? Did it think she had food to feed it? No, that was stupid it was big enough to eat her if it was hungry.

Its fur was blacker than the blackest night, but it had a streak of white on top she realized. Had that white always been there? As she continued to stare, she began to see even more details about the hound.

The poor thing was missing part of his left arm and scars were everywhere. Had the hound been brutalized by someone or was this hound just a fighter who gained terrible wounds from every battle?

Battle. She could understand that. She had scars of her own. So they had something in common; that made her feel better. The hound didn't seem feral and it was still bent before her. She wanted to see its eyes. The eyes were the windows to a being's soul. Its eyes would tell her what she needed to know.

With a swallow, she got on her hands and knees and reached out with her right hand. It wouldn't bite her hand off. It wouldn't bite her hand off.

She closed her eyes and touched the hound's head. The fur was soft, so very soft, so very familiar. Why was it familiar?

She felt the big head push more into her hand, wanting more of her touch, almost begging for it. So she used her other hand to capture its big head and rub her hands into its furry skull. A tiny, barely there smile came onto her face. She wanted to see its eyes. This creature should've been ferocious and it probably was, but it was no danger to her.

Opening her eyes, she took the hounds muzzle and lifted it so she could stare into its face. She froze as she looked at the one, deep, dark, soulful brown eye staring back at her. She knew this eye. Poor creature was missing an eye, but she knew this creature and her heart broke for it.

Missing part of a limb, missing an eye, scars everywhere… it should've been a monstrous sight, but the creature before her was beautiful. Tears flowed down her face, and before she could stop herself, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against its missing eye.

The creature whimpered and she pulled back a little to look and see if she'd hurt him somehow. But what she saw shocked her to her core. A tear escaped the hound's only working eye and when she looked into the deep, watery orb… she remembered.

She remembered who this hound was.

"Guts"

With the calling of his name, the white world she'd been in shattered all around her and the lush green forest, the sunlight and the scarred face of the most beautiful man, her lover, appeared.

Guts inhaled shakily. It worked. Somehow it had worked. Kneeling before his queen, his Casca and allowing her to calm down, to clear away all her thoughts and only see him, had worked.

But he was shaken himself. He didn't know what to do now. She'd played in his hair, caressed his scarred face so lovingly and kissed his missing eye with such tenderness that it lit his entire body aflame. He just wanted to hold her but he was too afraid to make any sudden movements, afraid she'd pull away from him. He didn't want this moment to end.

And then she said his name "Guts"

His stomach flopped like a fish out of water, his heart pounded harder than a war drum. Taking a deep breath, he let her name pass his lips softly, "Casca"

"Are… are you real?" She hesitated.

He held out his hand to her, words were never his strong suit. Actions would be better, slow, careful actions. She put his hand in his, though she was still a bit wary.

Then gently he put her hand to his chest, where his heart lie, so she could feel the harsh pounding thrumming through his body, the rush of quickly flowing blood and flex of hot, hard muscles beneath his clothing.

"I'm real," his words barely a whisper. His body might not be soft, but for her, he could manage a bit of softness in his tone. "Are you real?"

She seemed confused by the question for a moment and then said, "I don't know, am I?"

"I don't know," he was staring at her, that dress she was wearing would be the end of him. Casca looked like the most ethereal creature he'd ever seen. He wanted to see more. "Do you want to find out?"

"Yes," she breathed. "How?" she asked but he felt she knew an answer because she licked her lips, so subtly.

Guts thought he'd spontaneously combust. He was finally talking to her and she was responding. What he wanted to do, really wanted to do, was kiss her. But he didn't trust himself. Him and his hands- yes even his mechanical one, had had many a night together.

He cleared his throat in an effort to somehow clear his mind. Then stood to his feet, turned to Farnese and held out his hand. "Give me your sword."

With wide green eyes, he saw her gawk back at him. He couldn't blame her, this supremely gentle side of him was very new to her eyes. He didn't let people see that side, but he could care less about people. All that mattered was getting his feelings across to Casca and if he had to kneel before her, cry his heart out, speak softly, he'd do it. Appearances could go to the pits for all he cared.

He was thankful, Farnese didn't ask questions. She handed him her short dagger-like blade and he gave her a nod of gratitude. Then turning back to Casca who was watching him, he returned.

"You want to know if you're real or not?" He asked. With a toss of the blade, he caught the tip and held out the sword to her. "Fight me."

"What?"

"Take this sword and fight me," He dropped the blade before her then reached for Dragonslayer. With ease it slipped from the earth and he attached it to his back. Then he pulled out a dagger from the set on his chest. "Stand up Casca, fight me. Then you'll know if you're real."

Suddenly Puck was in his ear. "Are you a fool Guts?" he asked. "A kiss would've been better."

"Shut up and stay out of this," Guts flicked him away.

"See if I ever help you out again, baka" Puck humphed and floated to the side, rubbing his sore backside.

"Yea, yea," Guts turned his attention back to Casca who now had the sword in her hand. "Good, now get up." He said, voice gruff.

"I- I don't want to fight," she let out.

"Why?" he glared. "You're not injured. You on your period or something?"

Everyone gasped and he began to sneer at them. "This isn't an event so all of you can just go away." With that, everyone watching began to back off, hide in the bushes, behind trees, still watching.

"My period?" Casca said and he saw a twitch at her left temple. It was a tiny little spasm but it was there, none the less.

"Yeah, you know, the bleeding that comes out your snatch every month?" He continued. "Surely you couldn't forget about that bodily process all women have. I know I can't forget it." He turned from her and a tiny, knowing smirk lit onto his face. It was almost cruel. "Remember when you stupidly went out to battle and ended up being an inconvenience to me? I got shot in my side protecting you. I still got the scar, you want to see it?"

He paused and turned to look down at her.

"No? We fell into a ravine off a cliff hundreds of houses high, remember that? I was in full armor and I had to swim us to land. You nearly got us killed. It was raining too, and bloody cold. I remember it clearly. I found a cave, stripped you naked- I saw all of you, every little bit. You got a little dark spot on your inner thigh. I saw it when I cleaned up all the blood from your folds."

"Shut up," Casca's voice was low, menacing even.

"What? Say it again?" He pretended not to hear her. "I stripped you naked, saw all of you and wiped your bloody folds because you were too weak and in too much pain to do anything!"

"Shut up," she said again, in the same tone.

"I've never seen a weaker woman," he scoffed at her. "All shivering and in a baby position. I had to pull you into my arms to keep you warm so you don't fade away how weak and pathetic you were."

"I said shut up!" She got to her feet suddenly and her body took up a fighting stance so natural to her even though she hadn't fought in over two years.

"Shut up? Make me." He gave her his cruelest, most vicious smirk. He was certain he had the best shit-face ever. Some elf watching in the trees would probably write a malicious ode to it. "Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if you can't. You being as weak as you are."

And then a blood curdling snarl ripped from her throat and Casca attacked like the wild cat he knew her to be. Guts' pulse jumped as he evaded her strike and then evaded again and again and then blocked with his dagger.

"I am not weak!" She shouted at him and even though he could tell her movements were rusty, she still had all the technique he remembered. She was an amazing hellcat but he wanted more.

"Aren't you though?" He gave her a side eye. "I mean look at you, you can't even put a scratch on me!"

Casca slashed at him and he blocked easily. It saddened him that she now stood zero chance at beating him in a one v one, he'd been fighting demons every night, almost every day since being branded. He'd been slaying apostles whenever he could find them. He'd been busting his ass with little respite.

She really couldn't put up much of a fight with the state she was currently in either. She needed to get all those soft curves trained and strengthened again. She had no muscle definition now, but her body had potential… so much potential.

She sliced his cheek and he stepped back. "Ha!" She shouted in victory tossing the blade down.

"Damn it woman!" He strode forward so unexpectedly, she shrieked. He was a helluva lot faster too, his reaction time almost god-like. He grabbed her shoulders and the little hellcat jumped onto his torso, nearly missing his jewels, and kneed him in his angular jaw. He'd forgotten how absolutely flexible Casca was. But her attack wasn't strong enough to overpower him.

"I am not weak!" she growled at him. "I am not pathetic!"

He pulled her into a bear hug and she tried to shake loose but she couldn't. Placing his face into her neck and grabbing two handfuls of her luscious, curvy ass, he held her to his hard body and in her ear he whispered, "No you're not," he said. "But you are alive. No mistake, you are real and so am I… we survived."

He felt the tension leave her body, she wasn't fighting him anymore. He loosened a little, not wanting to accidently suffocate her. He could so easily break her, but Casca was strong.

"We survived," she whispered.

"Yes," Then pulled back to look down into her face. "We survived Casca."

"Just us?" her lips shook with the words.

They had a lot to talk about, a lot to catch up with, but if she didn't close off from him, he was certain they could handle even the hardest discussions to have and there were so many things he was dreading bringing up.

"Just us," he confirmed.

She knew what that meant, her eyes told him that she knew exactly what that meant. The Band of the Hawk was gone and never, ever coming back. He watched her take a shaky breath, trying desperately to be strong. He took her hand in his and squeezed it, so she'd know he was with her, going through the remembering with her, the pain with her.

"Griffith?"

"Dead." Guts really didn't want to discuss that particular bastard at that moment.

Casca's eyes widened in shock "No he's not," She shook her head. "Griffith's not dead."

"Yes he is," Guts lined his voice with steel. "To me he is."

He hadn't lied to her. Griffith had died the day they'd rescued him from the torture chamber. He'd been a different man when they'd busted him out- physically, mentally, emotionally. He wasn't the same Griffith, not in Guts' eyes.

"He should be dead to you too," Guts told her.

"Don't decide that for me," She glared. "So he's alive."

"In a manner of speaking," Guts really didn't want to talk about this. It was making him angry. If she still thought of Griffith as some shining, benevolent white knight he'd stab something.

"What manner of speaking?" she pulled from him and crossed her arms.

Guts took a long suffering sigh. "In exchange for the lives of the Band of the Hawk, Griffith was changed by a faction called the Godhand, demonic beings that cause calamities and bring hell on earth. He was reborn as a fifth member of that faction and they called him Femto."

"So he's a god now?"

"Yes," Guts confirmed.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," she took a deep, deep breath. "He was always ambitious. One of the things to love about him."

Guts felt a strong thread of jealousy rush through him at Casca using the word love and referring to his most hated enemy.

"It's so clear to me now," Casca continued and turned away from him. "You remember when we talked about the campfire lights being everyone's dreams and Griffith's light being the strongest of them all. So strong he pulled all the lights to him, making his light shine even brighter?"

"Yes," Guts said. He'd never forget the beautiful picture it had been. He'd likened himself to a wanderer who'd just stopped by to warm up at that fire. He hadn't realized that somehow he'd been much needed oil for Griffith's fire to remain as vibrant as it had become.

"Too much of anything is never a good thing," Casca wrapped her arms around herself. "He was too bright, too blinding. I see it now," she sniffed. "His light was hypnotic, I couldn't stop staring at it. I lost myself in it, in him. I couldn't see that his fire was raging out of control. None of us could, so we all got burned..." then she looked at him, a saddened expression on her face, in her eyes. "Even the wanderer who'd just stopped by to warm up".

She reached out to him and touched his missing eye and then found his left arm with the cold mechanical enhancement. Then with that hand she put it to her core, shocking him to his core. She pressed the hand in between and let the tears come and fall from her eyes. She'd been burned deeply in her most private of regions. Watched her family- the Band of the Hawk killed brutally. Raped by demons. Raped by Griffith turned demon god. Lost their baby… their baby… their baby…

She leaned into his chest and began to weep. Guts closed his own eye and felt the tears drain down because Casca's crying was, at first soft but then, as he suspected once the first tears came out a torrent would follow and she cried, and cried loudly unable to stop herself from the screaming pain. She held onto him, gripped onto him tightly, so tightly. Her body shook, convulsed until her legs gave out and he swept her up into his arms and she continued to cry.

This is what he wanted. He'd wanted her to see him again, speak to him again, he'd wanted her to fight again and then he wanted her to cry her heart out. Sob, morn and rage. He let her ball her fists and pummel his chest at everything that had happened. He wanted her to do this because she hadn't been able to.

She'd pulled into herself to block out all of it and that wasn't healthy. She needed to scream, she needed to weep, she needed to accept the things they couldn't change. Then he would need her to get stronger because they were going to fight. They were survivors of a heinous demonic ritual that left them bloodied and scarred in more ways than one. But together, together they would press on, they would overcome.

And if by the slimmest chance Casca no longer wanted to fight, he'd be fine with that; because he'd fight for them. He was her knight. He would exact vengeance for her and their child that was tainted by that bastard Griffith. He'd get stronger, even stronger so that he would never be put back in a position where he could do nothing but uselessly watch his leader, his friend, his lover be horrifically raped before him.

"I'm going to kill him Casca," He kissed her forehead as she began to snuffle. "Not just him though, all of them. The Godhand and every apostle too. They will all taste my blade, they will all suffer at my hand. They will regret the day they ever came into being. I don't care if they are devil or god. That shit don't matter to me. One way or another, I'm going to make them all pay."

"Get in line, black swordsman" she sniffled and looked up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy but that inner strength he knew she possessed shone brightly. "Or should I say mostly black?"

"You mean…"

She nodded and then pulled out of his arms and stood on her own. "I'm gonna need to get back into fighting condition," she looked at her arms. "My body feels foreign, really weird like this."

It felt rather nice to him, being all softly female everywhere, but he knew what she meant.

"And I want to know everything," she said and he could hear the commanding intonation of her voice returning, that oddly turned him on. Soft Casca was amazing but hardass Casca was a delight to his senses. He was tough so she'd need to get tougher too if she was going to be handling him.

"Don't hold the details either," she poked his chest. "I know you're not wordy but you'll have to try."

"Once you don't regress back into the state you were," he crossed his arms, ready to be flayed by her.

"I won't," she stiffened. "I- admit I didn't handle what happened in a good way-"

"Stop," he cut her off. "Listen, I'm not going to beat you up over how your body handled the situation. You pulled into yourself because you had to. If you hadn't you might've killed yourself a thousand times and we wouldn't be here now." He pulled her to him closer. "I like where we are now. We can move forward now, get stronger now and kick the asses of every fucking demon that comes against us now. We couldn't back then, but we can right now. We were both useless. We couldn't do anything about the situation those bastards put us in. I- I never felt so fucking weak in my life." He gritted his teeth, his whole body tensing.

"I tried to get to you," he said. "I fought to get to you and failed. I cut off my arm trying to reach you and failed but I swear it to you Casca. I swear that will never happen again. I'll kill us both before I ever let that happen to us again."

"Black Swordsman indeed," she whispered at his ferocity and all the feelings pouring out of him. "Were you always this talkative? I don't think so."

He turned a little red in the face. Here he was spilling his guts and she had the audacity to make fun of him. He was about to flay her with a particularly colorful word but then he saw her smile and that word and every other word blanked out of his head.

"I like you a little talkative," she moved even closer to him, they were like magnets always attracting each other. Her hand boldly cupped his groin and his eye went wide. "We've got a lot of catching up to do so that's good. I also seem to recall you saying you wanted to have me hundreds-

"Thousands," he corrected

She smiled softly, "Yes thousands of times", she said. "I hope that wasn't just lip service."

"I can prove it wasn't," he went even harder, his body naturally pushing into her hand.

"I'm sure you can," she nodded and then began to squeeze… hard. "But if I recall a while ago you had a lot to say about my snatch in front of everyone and I really didn't appreciate it."

Guts swallowed as sweat began to break out all over. His body had gone through lots of training to become as hard as it was but that particular place hadn't had any training at all, so her squeezing him was really a weakness he didn't think he could overcome against her.

"Do you remember what you told that whale idiot from Doldrey who kept gabbing on about wanting to use me as his army's plaything?"

He didn't like where this memory was taking him. If he recalled correctly he was sure he warned them against that because…

"You are the only man who comes close to me biting that particular something off…" she gripped him even hard, making him grit his teeth. "So you better watch your mouth when referring to my snatch or I'll unman you with mine. Got it?"

He gave her a stiff nod just so she could be satisfied with her threat and let him go. Once she did, she turned and he smacked her hard on her backside, so hard she jumped, both feet in the air and by the time she turned around, he was walking off in the opposite direction.

He could hear her cursing him and heard Puck's buzzing wings. He knew Puck would see the smile on his face, he tried to use his hand to cover it but it didn't work so he gave up hiding it. The smile went from ear to ear, it probably wasn't creepy. He was far too warm and happy inside about Casca being back to normal to put on a creepy smile.

In fact, if he didn't know better, he'd think all the females and maybe a few of the males he passed through the forest, who happened to see his expression probably fainted at the sight because he was certain his smile was the brightest thing next to the moon shining in the clear night sky.

But he wouldn't be fooled by this momentary happiness, this success. No, he'd revel in it for a little but he wouldn't lose focus of his goal. He would destroy Griffith, the Godhand and the apostles, with Casca back, he was now more certain than ever that he would prevail.

And that's it! I hope it was enjoyable! Please comment if you liked or not. I'm not sure if I got all the details spot on about certain events that happened but I'm still very pleased with what I wrote.

Thank you guys for reading! And until we meet again, keep struggling.


	2. Chapter 2: Waterfalls and Memories

Hey Strugglers! Thanks for the kind words to those who commented on the story.

I wasn't sure if I should continue but I was asked so nicely to continue and also a few ideas popped into my head, so I'm intrigued as to where the characters will take me.

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to Kentaro Miura.**_

Please comment if you get a little enjoyment out of this story. I didn't expect to overflow with ideas but here it is!

 **Berserk:**

 **Waterfalls and Memories**

Evening was fast approaching and Guts, after five long hours of sword training by himself, was seated against a tree watching the rush and flow of a waterfall just a few paces away. Waterfalls held really good memories for him. A tiny, almost miniscule smile lifted the corner of his mouth. He'd never forget that one memory in particular where he and Casca had initiated their love for each other.

"I'd rather not see that Guts," Puck poked his cheek.

"Then go away," Guts said mildly annoyed. He just wanted to think about him and Casca being together for a little bit. It was one of the hardest things to do- not being with her, especially when she was sane, hale and healthy. It would be so easy to approach her and tell her of his immense physical need for her.

But he'd decided to give her time to adjust. It was now three days since she'd regained her sanity back and it was making him seriously uncomfortable. She had the fairy queen, or was it Flower King, make her a pair of serviceable, drab training wear that fit her sweet ass perfectly because training in a dress was impractical and Casca could be the definition of practical when she wanted to be.

She also gave serious a new name. Yesterday, early in the morning, he'd seen her sneak out from their resting place, in a hollowed out tree, and he'd followed. She hadn't noticed, he was certain, which meant they'd have to work on getting her senses back in tune as well.

But she'd had a sword to her hip and so he knew what she had headed out to do. From afar he watched as she stretched her slender limbs out and then went for a run through the trees. She ran out of breath just a few minutes in but that was to be expected. She didn't stop though, after a short break she headed off again until she reached back to where she'd started, in a clearing.

Then he watched as she found a boulder that he thought would be a bit too heavy for her, and he was right, she couldn't lift it. Annoyed, she kicked it only to clutch her foot and curse. He grinned at that, she was impatient to get better, stronger. He knew how that felt.

She found a smaller boulder and proceeded to lift it to her chest and then up over her head, back down to her chest then to the ground with straight legs. She did that for as long as she could, which wasn't very long at all, but that too was to be expected as her arms lacked musculature and strength. Her stamina needed a ton of work.

As Guts watched her, he realized he'd never really seen her personally train. Three years with the Band of The Hawk and they hadn't been on good terms so he didn't know for sure but she'd probably been sneaking out to train all the time, she was a very dedicated woman, after all.

He noticed that with every movement she made, she was targeting a specific area on her body. Her back, her legs, her arms, her core. He didn't know how long he watched her, he was mesmerized.

There was one particular move that made him stiffen uncomfortably in his pants. Taking the same boulder, she held it to her chest and then proceeded to squat down. Up, down, up, down… and from his position, he had the perfect vantage point of her curvaceous backside, her ass threatened to tear her training pants. He secretly wished they would.

Yes, he had to leave. He had to leave now. His lust was escalating and he was certain it would be powerful enough for even her with her dull senses to become aware of his predatory gaze. He was like a tiger and she was looking very delicious to him. She would not be very happy either if she discovered he'd been watching her routines and thinking about how much force it would take to rip those pants from her body to give him all the access he desired.

"You're thinking dirty thoughts again," Puck flicked his nose this time. "I'm going to tell Casca."

"Don't make me squash you bug," Guts growled at him as he was pulled out of his thoughts.

"If you want her so badly… and you do, why don't you just have her?" Puck crossed his arms. "I don't understand. When elves go into heat they have at it all the time."

Guts really didn't want to know about heated elves having at anything. "It's not that easy for us," Guts said then remained quiet about it. He didn't need to explain to anyone why he was giving Casca space. He supposed they all expected him to jump on her like a beast but he couldn't do that, what she had been through couldn't be taken lightly. He was not going to risk a relapse.

"I don't see why not," Puck said. "You both have obviously been through lots of bad stuff. I can sometimes see the images. I don't understand them but you two were both wounded. I just thought maybe you both could… I don't know… lick each other's wounds or something."

Guts wanted to do that. He wanted to lick her everywhere. He wanted to sink himself into her, fill her up with him and watch his essence drain down her thighs and know that it was him pouring out of her and not that bastard Griffith or his demon scum. He wanted her to bathe in his essence, purify her with it. He wanted her to watch him drive into her and not mistake him for a demon. He wanted to drill out every bad memory that she received from the Eclipse and replace them with loving memories of him, the man who loved her with every ounce of himself.

But her situation was delicate.

And even if they did come together like that again it could prove harmful to their goals. They had resolved to get stronger and defeat the apostles, the Godhand and Griffith. If they had at each other the way he desired, he was certain she'd get with child instantly. He was certain of his virility and passion for her.

Child. The little moonlight boy came to mind. He didn't know what to think of the mysterious little being who'd connected so strongly to Casca when she was in her regressed state but a warmth filled him when he thought of the child and his wild hair and skin as light as his. But the boy's eyes had been big and brown like Casca's, it was unnerving.

The boy was obviously very brave too because he'd climbed up Guts' back unafraid of him and nearly dropped off his shoulder onto the daggers Guts had been cleaning, but between him and Casca they'd caught the little bundle and that was the closest Guts had ever gotten to Casca in her former incoherent state. It'd felt oddly satisfying. A child. Him and Casca's child. He supposed that would be nice to fantasize about for a bit.

But as he thought of it, he remembered the little demon baby, misshapen, tainted by that fucking asshole Griffith. He balled his fists, one day he'd run that bastard through with his sword. Casca had been nothing but loyal to him and he'd treated her like some whore. It disgusted him but then his disgust compounded with another thought suppose, because of what Griffith and those demons had done to Casca… suppose she couldn't get with child again? Suppose if they tried to actually have one it came out misshaped and tainted?

Guts gripped the hilt of his sword, because if he didn't his hands would begin to shake uncontrollably. His entire body would lose control. Could she have been damaged so deeply? Could what had happened to her have caused irreparable consequences to her body? He hadn't thought about that. He'd been so consumed with rage back then that he'd left to go on a vengeance tour. Then afterwards he'd nearly forced himself on her and from that moment he just kept his distance as much as he could and tried not to think about making love to her. Could her womb still be laced with the essence of a demon? She'd had her bleeding days but still…

"You look like you're going to be sick Guts," Puck added. "I think there's a leaf around here that can help. It'll probably take a while to find though…"

"Yeah go find it for me," Guts said, really just wanting Puck to go away so he could be with his thoughts. He could feel the beast of darkness creeping up inside of him.

Once the elf had flittered off, Guts got to his feet and began to run. It would be night in the outside world which meant the demons would call to his brand and in that moment he wanted to kill something. He desperately needed to kill something and let out the rising panic, anger and sadness.

* * *

Guts jumped over branches and shrubs, crisscrossed through the trees, tore through vines and other bristled bushes until he made it to the pumpkin patch. He was glad that he'd given Isidro the responsibility of watching over Casca when he wasn't around, that way the boy who so wanted to follow in his footsteps would be preoccupied. It was a worthy task and even Casca had challenged the boy to a bit of a sparring match yesterday evening before supper was called.

Even in Casca's weakened state the boy didn't stand much of a chance. Serpico on the other hand managed to best her easily enough though, she had a long way to go. Farnese and Schierke had even volunteered to help her train by using golems which would be perfect training for her to fight more than one opponent and destroy them. Guts appreciated the way they rallied around her.

Reaching the barrier of Skellig island he was about to step out of the barrier when he heard Farnese's voice.

"Where do you think you are going?" she began to come forward. "You're not supposed to leave the barrier… remember?"

Ah yes, the Flower King had said something to that effect. It had to do with alerting the enemies to their presence on the island. Damn, he'd forgotten. His need to kill something was so intense that the beast of darkness was threatening to choke him.

"Yeah, I forgot," he gripped his sword and stared at the barrier. His blood was boiling, he was itching to fight.

"You've really become used to battling every night, haven't you?" Farnese asked.

"It's become part of my routine," He pulled out his sword. "I need to kill something. The urge to sink my blade into demonic beings is strong right now."

Farnese sighed and then closed her eyes and began to mutter strange words. Guts turned to look at her.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't respond, she just continued speaking the words until suddenly, the scarecrows in the pumpkin patch came to life.

"I can't do demons," Farnese told him. "But animating objects is something Schierke has been teaching me. I'm not very good at it, but there you go. Destroy to your liking. I put a regeneration spell into them as well so they'll probably keep you a little busy."

Guts stared at her for a moment, and then put his sword over his shoulder. "You've changed."

She shrugged nonchalantly. "After what happened at the tower, there was no way I could stay the same. There are things happening in this world, so many things I'm able to see now and it scares me." Tears began to drain down her face.

Farnese continued, "The fact that elves and demonic creatures were just flitting about in front of my face and I couldn't see them, is scary. I couldn't fight them as I was but now… now I can fight. I can do things on my own and not just stand up praying as hordes of demons surround me ready to destroy me. You showed me I could fight and that I can chose my fate."

Guts scoffed and turned towards the animated scarecrows. "Well once you don't start seeing me as some sort of holy being to pray to because I just so happened to show you how to be sensible then I'm glad."

Guts heard Farnese tinkle of laughter and a little smirk came to his face before he rushed in to massacre the animated scarecrows. They were so easy to dispatch, but they did manage to come back. They weren't a challenge for him but they'd be good practice for Casca, a level above the animated golems.

"Guts I'm tired," Farnese began to whine. "Can we stop now?"

It hadn't been more than an hour or so since he'd begun but for a new technique Farnese didn't have enough stamina to keep them going for longer. The scarecrows were in spasms on the ground now and Guts reattached his sword to his back.

"It wasn't long but it was enough for my purpose," Guts told her.

"Is that a thank you?" She got up rubbing her temples.

"Take it how you want it," he shrugged and began to walk off.

He wanted to see Casca, he hadn't since that morning when he'd watched her again do a few of her routines. He'd secretly left her a flask of water and some fruit because yesterday he realized she hadn't had anything to snack on to keep her energy up. He knew whenever he trained he got really hungry afterward, so he didn't see how she'd be any different.

After that, he'd methodically stayed away because just looking at Casca interact normally with those around her made him a little too emotional. He was just so damned happy and thankful that she was laughing again.

"You're thinking about her,"

Guts looked down at Farnese who was staring up at his face. "Who?" he pretended to know not what she was talking about.

"Don't act like you don't know," Farnese crossed her arms, "Casca."

"I just want to know how her training went today," He said. "She'll probably push herself hard when she should take her time to build her strength back up. Overworking her body won't be good for her."

"Wow, she was right," Farnese began to smirk then, her face taking on quite the naughty look, he though.

"About what?"

"You do talk a lot more now," Farnese put her arms behind her back. "You used to be so quiet and gruff but ever since she's gotten better, it seems you're just a wealth of words now."

Guts gritted his teeth. He didn't realize he was talking a lot more. He didn't know why either, now that he thought about it.

"I think it's nice," Farnese confessed.

"What's nice?" He asked as they reached the clearing where their resting quarters were.

"The fact that I'm not the only one who's changed," With that, Farnese walked off and Guts could only stare as she left. And of course, he saw Serpico a ways back. The guy was Farnese's shadow always near, watching over her. Guts liked that loyalty in the guy and was certain that if by chance Casca also needed to be watched Serpico would gladly keep an eye on her as well.

Had he truly changed though? The moment he asked himself the question he knew the answer immediately. One look at Casca who was again sparring with Isidro and he knew he had indeed softened up a little. He wasn't too sure if that was a good thing, in fact, it was probably a bad thing. This was no time to be getting soft. He needed to remain a sharpened blade, he'd find Schierke and ask her to produce some strong creature for him to crush and keep his skills refined.

But damn it, Casca looked magnificent drenched in sweat from her vigorous training. Maybe he should've taken a dip in that waterfall.

* * *

 **So that's it for this chapter. Not much happened, it's more of a build-up chapter. There might be a few of those simply because Berserk is known for its amazing build up and payoff so yeah!**

 **This chapter was pretty long so I split it in two parts. If you'd like the next part please comment so I'll know you're interested.**

 **Thank you so much for reading and until I post again, Stay Struggling!**


	3. Chapter 3: Witching Time

Hey Strugglers!

You guys are a tough crowd, LOL. No wonder Miura takes such long hiatuses he's just ensuring he puts his absolute best into his work and taking his time with it.

I've gained new appreciation for Kentaro Miura. I just don't know how he does it, juggling so many characters, story lines, character development, staying true to character, momentous events, build up and payoff, it's a lot! As someone who lacks the skill to write professionally (imo), I'm really inspired by writers like Miura who can take a certain premise and elevate it, make it complex and interesting. He is truly a genius.

I am just a little fan girl who claims Guts as her husbando. I love Berserk and when I caught up in the manga all I wanted to do was devour more of the story but with it on hiatus (a hiatus I completely understand now because of how much I struggled with this chapter). I actually think I should've stopped at the first chapter because this one kicked my ass. I swear I must have four drafts of this one chapter because writing a story is not as easy as some people think. I actually forgot Isma, how dare I?

This is probably some really lackluster writing, it's not as detailed or edgy as I want it to be, or as complex or interesting as I'm imagining in my head but I am enjoying myself.

So if you guys get a little enjoyment out of this fic even though I'm not too sure about it, please drop a comment as I'd love to get a bit more feedback.

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to Kentaro Miura.**_

 **Berserk:**

 **Witching Time**

"Hey look! Guts is back!" Isidro shouted and pointed after ducking from Casca's slashing attack.

Guts watched as Casca turned quickly to look at him, that made his heart pound like crazy and then his eyes widened as Isidro attacked the moment her eyes had left her opponent. But Casca surprised them both by spin kicking the sword from his hand and punching the boy in his gut. Isidro keeled over coughing up whatever he'd had for lunch.

"Tricks like that don't work on me," she walked off towards Guts. "And you-" She pointed her sword at him, "Why were you so shocked? You didn't actually think a mere boy with no real training could best me, did you?"

"Isidro can be crafty, he's getting better," Guts shrugged. "That was a good counter, but you probably shouldn't have opened yourself up to an attack like that."

Her dark eyes narrowed at him. "Well maybe if I had seen you sometime from morning to now when he called your name I wouldn't have gotten so excited to see you!" She stomped on his foot, making him yowl in pain but the fact that she was excited to see him made the pain fade swiftly away.

He watched her turn on her heel to bark at Isidro. "And why are you still down? I hit you ages ago! You're a man, now get up and fight!"

Guts strode forward, and with his large hand he grabbed one rounded ass cheek and squeezed making her jump away from him, red faced. She pointed her sword at him, annoyed. "Will you stop doing that?"

"No," the word fell bluntly from his lips, shocking her. "I think Isidro's had enough of your violent nature for today," he turned to Isidro who was finally getting back to his feet. "Good job, focus on you blocking,"

"She's great," Isidro said starry eyed. Perfect, the boy was already in love with his woman. "Casca when I'm older, marry me okay?"

"That's not happening you idiot," Guts nearly bonked him on the head. "Find Puck and have him throw things at you to block."

Isidro took one last look at Casca, spent her a floating kiss and ran off. The small smile on Casca's face gave Guts the urge to pull her into him but she picked up her sword.

"I wasn't finished with my training," she pointed at him. "How will you make up for my loss?"

"You wanted a man," he said. "I'm more man than him, fight me." His hand went to his sword hilt, pulling a commanding, imposing figure before her.

Casca eyed him from head to toe. He probably looked a mess considering he'd been training for the majority of the day. She didn't seem to mind. "You using that heap of iron?"

"No," he shook his head and pulled out a dagger. "This should be more than enough. It's only been a few days. You couldn't have gotten that much better since then."

Hands on her hips, she glared. "You won't even respect me by using a proper sword?"

"I respect you by actually offering to spar with you," He smirked. "You should be honored."

Guts watched the vein at Casca's temple pulse with irritation. He really did enjoy baiting her, he found a certain joy in ticking her off.

"Bastard," Casca attacked as ferociously as the wild cat she was. He nearly howled with pure ecstasy. Badass Casca was such a delight. "Stop blocking!" Casca shouted as she swiped and slashed in his direction. "Come at me seriously!"

He continued to evade her attacks and then smacked her on the bum again. "Make me."

She shrieked at him and intensified her barrage of attacks. Pure excitement and joy filled him at the sight of Casca really pushing herself. She was so fucking amazing to him because even though it had literally been just two days of training, she was already smoother and a little more refined. The improvement was small but he could tell she was giving her all and that lit his arousal up into flames.

He needed some distance before he knocked that sword from her hand and had his way with her. He evaded again, turned and shot off through the forest, taunting her to come and catch him if she could.

He could hear Casca cursing him and he couldn't stop himself from chuckling at how absolutely frustrated and furious she was. So much fire in her, it warmed him straight to his bones.

"Come back here Guts!" She shouted a ways behind. "Running away is the coward's way! I didn't take you to be a coward."

She wasn't going to get him like that though. He could bait her effortlessly but there wasn't much she could bait him with.

"You should brush up on your insults too Casca, they're as lacking as your swordplay," he shot back at her as he reached the spot he'd been running towards. The waterfall.

* * *

Ivalera watched as Casca and Guts vanished into the forest. She was seated on Schierke's bedroom sill, glaring holes into the both of them. While they were off fighting… which was more like frolicking to her, Schierke was laid up in bed nursing a fever. Ivalera didn't know where it had come from. It had started with a headache and then blossomed into a raging fever.

Schierke had been fine yesterday but this morning, she'd begun to feel ill. Isma, the blue haired half-merrow girl, was a little help bringing cool rags to put on her forehead and Farnese feed her soup. They both thought it was a little bug or something but Ivalera knew differently so she sent Isma off on a little errand to keep her preoccupied as Ivalera thought up what to do.

Ivalera knew something that none of them but Schierke and her would know. Schierke's master Flora had spoken of it.

Witching Time.

A time when young witches around the age of twelve and thirteen would age by six years, the number of the witch, and her powers would grow immensely. It was a blessing for certain, but to get to that blessing one had to go through an accursed hell of physical pain and torture.

Schierke suddenly began to cough and it was so dry, Ivalera flitted back to Schierke and gazed down at the young witch-in-training. The symptoms were clear as day. Headache, fever, now coughing. The vomiting would begin in a few hours so Ivalera would have to prepare for that, but that wasn't the worst of it.

After the vomiting, there would be pain, blood and lots of destructive magic pouring out of her. Schierke wouldn't have any control due to the pain, she'd just be a victim to the effect of the Witching Time.

"Oh why Schierke," Ivalera began to tear up because Flora had mentioned that the stronger the pain the stronger the witch and Ivalera knew that Schierke would be powerful. Even Flora had known that, that's why the witch had taken Schierke on as a disciple.

Another cough wracked Schierke's body but it was so bad it made Schierke shoot up and the soup she'd managed to get down that morning, spewed out of her.

Ivalera gasped. "No," she shook her head. "No this isn't right. Wretching should not be happening yet. It's far too soon!"

As Schierke continued to cough, Ivalera flew out of the room to get Farnese to help. This was going to be bad.

Ivalera didn't know the exact details of Witching Time but she did know that the worst thing about it was a witch had no way of getting out of it unless she killed herself and if the pain was bad enough, and it would be, a witch could be tempted to end her life.

But Ivalera was determined for death not to be Schierke's fate. There were ways to lessen her pain but Ivalera was certain she'd have to do something bad to get a certain male to cooperate.

"No matter what I have to do," Ivalera whispered, "No matter if I have to dye this place red with blood. Schierke will not fade by the hands of Witching Time."

* * *

Guts made it to where he'd been running to, stopped and placed his back to the rushing water so he could look at Casca breaking through the brush and see her face as she saw him standing there before a waterfall. Their best memory together was at a waterfall. They'd exposed themselves to each other, licked each other's wounds and found healing for themselves through the physical connection they had formed.

"It's nice, right?" he dropped his dagger and turned back towards the mesmerizing fall. "I found it this morning and I wanted to see it again with you."

He also wanted to see her again at a waterfall. There was something so beautiful about her dark, smooth skin and the blue of the water… though bad things usually happened when she was by a body of water or a cliff of some sort (she usually ended up falling off or in the water somehow, but he was always around to help her out).

Casca remained silent. He must've shocked her with how smooth the words had come out. But he hadn't thought of it on the fly. As he'd fought the scarecrows, beating down his beast, his panic began to fade and he began to see things more clearly.

If, by chance, her body could no longer bear a child due to the events of The Eclipse, that would be just another thing he could avenge for her. He would make Griffith and those fucking apostles pay for every hurt they caused to her. He'd make them suffer like they'd never suffered before.

That thought excited him more than it probably should. He couldn't wait to sink his blade into all those bastards and then he'd fuck Griffith up the ass with his Dragon Slayer. He'd rend that bastard apart from asshole to fancy face.

"I don't know what you're thinking but your face is scary Guts," Casca said and he snapped out of his thoughts upon feeling her blade at his throat. "I don't like winning like this, so let's put this down as a no-win."

"Who says you've won?" His brow rose, she honestly thought she had him.

"Your dagger's down. My blade's to your neck, that's a kill. It's over." She glared at him.

He merely smirked and then grabbed her sword with his mechanical hand, pulled it out of hers so swiftly she was taken aback and then threw it aside. In an instant, his hand caught her by her tiny waist and pulled her right up to him.

"Now you're weaponless and locked," he said, eyes sparking with intensity. If he'd been a demon, she'd be dead. He hated the thought of that so he put steel in his words. "I'd say this is your loss for being overconfident. I'm a different kind of fighter. You need to go for the kill if you intend to beat me. Cut into me, slice me to ribbons, I'll live."

"You're insane," She stared up at him, struggling to release from his hold.

"We're all insane," he shrugged. "You can't win these fights conventionally Casca. Demons are dirty, you have to be dirtier. They have no honor and you'll need to be merciless. Don't ever think you have the upper hand and don't think you can't skewer me with your blade. I want you too."

"What are you saying?" He sounded sadistic, maniacal. He shook her forcefully, so she could feel the power in just his hands.

"I'm saying you use everything in your arsenal to ensure a kill," he clarified. "It doesn't matter what it is. Strength, agility, speed, your teeth, your appearance. Use it all, because they aren't afraid to use theirs to devour us."

Casca stopped struggling, it was doing nothing but tiring her out. She instead gazed up at Guts and looked deep into his eyes and saw the demons he was fighting every day. He'd seen more than she could comprehend. "How far have you gone for a kill?"

"Very far, sometimes too far," he let her go but she put her arms around his waist and her head upon his chest to feel the strong beating of his heart.

"What's the worst thing you've done?"

They were all pretty horrible now that he was looking back. He'd been in a black haze of pure anger, events collided into each other in his head creating an amalgamation of blood and destruction.

"That bad huh?" she rubbed her face against him, though dirty and a little smelly from his training, she didn't seem to mind at all. "Surely you can remember one memory to top them all?"

"You mean besides using children as shields or bait against demons?" he grimaced remembering the daughter of the slug baron and even the little girl Jill who'd been friends with the apostle Rosine, he'd nearly lopped her in half to kill that winged bitch.

"Black Swordsman indeed," she murmured. "You have something worse than that?"

"I'm not proud of it…" rubbing the back of his head, he felt highly uncomfortable with this conversation, but he supposed he'd have to tell her the truth some day. He didn't want to keep anything from her.

"What did you do?"

She wouldn't let it go and if he changed his mind she'd only nag him. "The first apostle I hunted down was a female. I fucked her out."

Casca swiftly pulled her chest from his, but her hands still remained locked on his waist. Staring up at him, she saw his disgusted and embarrassed expression and understood. "To get close to it and ensure a kill?"

He gave her a stiff nod. "I told you in a fight you use everything at your disposal," he said. "That apostle was the type who pretended to be human, luring men in with her appearance, her scent, her voice. I let her think her illusion had worked but it hadn't… the pain from the brand was so strong I could only focus on it and all I could see was Corkus' severed head in her filthy jaws."

Casca's legs gave out from under her suddenly.

"Oy!" Guts scooped her up into his arms before her knees could touch the grassy floor.

"You found his killer?" Her words were tearful.

"Yeah, I did," he said, his voice a rugged whisper. "I blew that bitch to bits,"

Her arms went around his neck and her tears fell upon his skin. "You didn't even like Corkus,"

"That's true," he moved them towards the tree he'd been sitting against earlier and sat with her in his lap. "I didn't like him all that much but I never hated him enough to desire a death such as the one he got. He was a comrade whose opinions differed from mine and I respected him in my own way. I wasn't finished hearing his snide remarks and his life was brutally cut short before he could get married into some royal family and have the castle he wanted."

"You remembered," just the thought that he remembered those little details about a loud, often obnoxious man who hadn't gotten on well with him made Casca cry even more.

"Of course I remembered," his throat tightened. "I couldn't forget the man who inadvertently gave me access into the Band of The Hawk. The Band I came to love and cherish as a family, the band I would lay my life down for. I made true friends, bonds, connections, I never had that before. On top of that, because of him… I found you…"

"Thank you," Casca wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. "Did you find any other apostles?"

"A good number of them," Guts smoothed his hands over her tiny waist, he wanted to run them over every inch of her but decided against it. "I don't know if this apostle killed Pippin but the slug bastard was using Pippin's body like a puppet. I destroyed him too."

"Rickert?" she sniffled. "What about little Rickert? He was just a boy."

"Rickert was lucky," Guts assured her and then told her that Rickert hadn't been present at the slaughter. And then proceeded to tell her about the graves that Rickert had made for the Band of the Hawk.

"I want to see Rickert, Erica and those graves," Casca settled against him.

"I want to see them again too but the world's a lot more dangerous now," Guts rested his head against the trunk of the tree and remembered the ogres, trolls, kelpies and even the sea god. "Something has happened. A great light passed over the world. Schierke and Farnese said it felt like the world had split apart."

"Griffith," Casca bit her lip at the name that slid past her lips.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he had something to do with it," Guts suddenly felt irritated again. Just hearing the name Griffith come from Casca made him want to kiss her deeply to purify her mouth.

It made him sick. Just the thought of the man he'd once called friend, the man he'd respected and yearned to be equal with. The man who'd given him a family with the band of the Hawk and then used that family as a bloody stepping stone to reach his goals made him want to go berserk.

"How long?" Casca asked.

"You mean staying here?" Guts clarified and when she nodded he thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. Time passes differently in Elfhelm so once I find out how that works then I can determine how long. There is something else I need to do while I'm here and I'm wondering if the Flowerstorm King could help me out with that."

"With what?"

"My new armor," he exhaled, "Damn, when I think about how much I have to tell you about it hurts my head honestly. It's a lot."

"Well, if you stop going missing for all hours of the day, we can allot some time to talk,"

Guts bit his lip, wondering if he should let past what he was thinking. His legs were apart, the perfect spot for Casca and she was nestled so sweetly in between it made him ache.

"Guts?"

"I want to kiss you."

He'd been trying so hard not to give in to that urge but he couldn't help himself. The last time he'd kissed her he was disgusted by because he'd forced himself upon her. He didn't want to do that again, but it was damned hard with her being so close and not having her. Last night he'd actually found himself, leaving their resting quarters to take a piss and with his cock out he'd came all over a bush but that only left him feeling hornier for her. Frustrated, he took out his sword and did a thousand sword swings.

"You do?" She leaned up toward him, her breasts pressing into his wide, muscular chest.

He groaned in discomfort. "You know I do," his hot gaze seared her.

"Just a kiss?"

Guts watched her tongue peak out to moisten her bottom lips and he swallowed, parched. He wanted to drink from her mouth, he was so damned thirsty for her. "We can go as far as you'd like."

"Just a kiss then," she said "I know you've been thinking about what happened and that's why I haven't seen you much since I… returned, I guess I can call it that."

"I didn't want to relapse or trigger anything" he told her being sincere and honest about it.

"I'm a little stronger now. Getting stronger every day in fact. I think I can handle a kiss." She said. "Those monsters didn't kiss me… though they did insert-"

He cut her off then with his lips, not wanting to hear about anything other than him and food being inserted her mouth or in any orifice on her body.

That first touch of their lips was earth shattering. Guts was certain he'd sink into the tree he was leaning against and Casca really didn't hold back. He wanted to control the flow of the kiss, but still, even though she seemed okay he let her take control. If she wanted his tongue, she'd delve into his mouth for it. If she wanted his tongue in her mouth, she'll lure his tongue in. If she wanted more, he'd allow her to take as much more as she wanted. This was for her.

He knew what it felt like to be violated, to be forced upon and given no choice. He understood that which was why he'd decided to put himself at her mercy until she told him explicitly what she wanted.

"Guts," she gasped, "Closer," she pulled herself into a straddle on him, wrapped her arms around his thick, corded neck and went back in for his mouth. He did as she asked, taking his hands and clutching her rounded backside, squeezing the curves and nudging her snatch into his growing thickness.

She moaned, rubbing herself against him and pulling a groan of his own out of him. Her hands played in his hair, her breasts were a heated brand upon his chest and her core, damn… her heated core rubbing into him would be his undoing. She was hotter than fire and he didn't mind being engulfed by her flames.

What they shared was so much more than a mere melding of mouths, but a melding of minds, hearts and memories.

* * *

Puck had finally found what he'd been looking for, it had taken a lot of time but surely it would help with the uneasiness Guts was feeling. He didn't know if it would be any help but recently, Puck had just wanted to be of any kind of assistance to him.

Guts had changed so much from the first time they'd met. He'd been a loner and he didn't trust anyone. He hadn't even wanted anyone to touch him. He was cruel and maniacal at times but Puck realized it was because of what he'd gone through. It wasn't clear but Puck had seen the most horrific images in Guts and Casca's minds.

It was disturbing to say the least, and Puck wondered who the mysterious Griffith was but Puck never pressed Guts into telling him anything, not that he could. They'd been pretty close for a while it seemed but recently Puck had begun to feel rather lonely and useless in the group. He couldn't do much in a battle either.

Everyone was training to get stronger because a big battle would be approaching in no time but Puck didn't know what he could do in the grand scheme of things. He just… lacked purpose.

He desired to find out what he was meant to do now because at first he thought following Guts and helping him was a great goal, being there for a loner who'd detached himself from the society had been fulfilling. Watching Guts grow was such a wonderful feeling, but now Puck didn't know what to do. With Casca sane again, all of Guts' thoughts revolved around her and the destruction of the demons in his mind. There just seemed to be no place for Puck anymore.

A wash of sadness enveloped him and Puck felt a little uneasy. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and willed himself to be optimistic. It would be okay, he'd go to Guts with the healing leaves he'd found and be of use to the branded swordsman.

Puck whizzed through the forest and finally made it back to the waterfall. He stopped abruptly though when he saw that Guts wasn't alone.

Guts and Casca were together, wrapped up in each other, kissing each other so passionately it made Puck redden. Guts sure had some explicit images in his head when he thought about Casca and Casca's thoughts about him were of the same nature.

"I guess he doesn't need these anymore," Puck let the leaves fall and then with one last sad look at the obviously happy couple, Puck whizzed off back to their resting grounds. Guts deserved a little happiness and Casca had given him that.

Puck was happy for him but even as he whizzed through the forest, tears slipped down his face. Uselessness was a horrible feeling.

* * *

Wow that went a lot longer than expected but I enjoyed writing this one too, even though it was a little bit of a struggle. Poor little Puck, I have something special in store for him though and I'm excited about my idea for Schierke. We might get a bit of Griffith in the next one. So I hope you guys liked this chapter.

I can't make any promises that I can actually finish this but I will try my endeavor best.

Thank you so much for reading! Please comment if you liked!

Until I post again, Stay Struggling!


	4. Chapter 4: Strange Chill

Hey Strugglers!

Thank you so much for the comments I've received! I get so giddy reading and re-reading what you all have to say!

This chapter was really something to put together because I decided to be a little more creative with the story telling jumping to different sets of characters and stuff. I hope the little risk I decided to take was the smartest decision.

Again thank you so very much for the great feedback! Please continue dropping me a few lines and I'll continue to drop a few hundred for your reading pleasure… or displeasure, LOL.

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to Kentaro Miura.**_

 **Berserk:**

 **Strange Chill**

After seeing Guts and Casca locked together passionately, Puck made it back to where the others were but he didn't stop to say anything. He was completely out of sorts and didn't feel like being the happy-go-lucky Puck they knew. Locating Gut's bag and opening it up, he found what he was looking for… Becchi.

Taking out the egg-shaped object, he held it close and then headed for the window, when he suddenly came to a halt. Just below, Ivalera was frantically saying something to Farnese, who in turn ran into their spirit tree residence. Whatever had gotten her running had to be something serious. He'd never seen Ivalera so worried.

"Must be Schierke," Puck carrying Becchi headed to Schierke's bedroom window and saw her lying in bed coughing. The air smelt rancid from vomit. Concerned Puck headed in through the window to check on her when suddenly Ivalera and Farnese shot through the door.

Ivalera's eyes locked on his and the pure rage in her eyes made Puck float back.

"What's going on?"

"None of your business," she flew to him and pushed him out so swiftly it shocked him. Then she slammed the window shut and threw down the dark green curtains.

A deep frown lit onto Puck's face. She didn't have to be so rude about it, but he supposed she did seem stressed out, so he couldn't quite blame her. Schierke looked really bad from what he could see and that worried him, but if it was an only-female kind of matter then he wouldn't be of use to them.

"Puck where are you?"

Puck nearly dropped Becchi at the sound of Isidro's shouting voice, he quickly hid in a tree and watched as Dropey tried to find him. He really didn't feel like bantering with the boy today. He just felt so out of it at the moment so he swiftly headed far away from the grounds to a more secluded spot on the other end of the island. He'd found an old, vacant bird's nest and set up his bed there. He hadn't been alone for a good long while now. It had been him and Guts together after he'd left a traveling troupe.

Now it was just him and Becchi. Guts had Casca and the others.

Casca.

Puck clutched Becchi closer and thought about the woman Guts had rescued from the tower of conviction. At first, Puck couldn't understand why Guts had wanted to rescue her but it became clear that Casca was special to him. Extremely special.

It was odd and a little strange to see Guts be so vocal and happy. He didn't begrudge the guy his happiness, in fact, he was quite pleased about it himself. But with Casca in the picture, he'd been pushed out. At least that's how he felt. There was no place for him now.

Sure he could heal wounds with his dust but with Schierke there she could use her magic to heal wounds more effectively and even Farnese was getting better at magic too.

Puck sighed and closed his eyes. He had no purpose but he longed to find one. He would not allow himself to wallow for too long and be a hindrance. He would take some time to think about how he too could become stronger and an asset to Guts in the big battle he would face.

As Puck drifted off to sleep though, he wasn't aware that Becchi, the Behelit moved to form its creepy face. The mouth opened wide but tears didn't bleed from its eyes. A bright light shone, enveloping Puck.

* * *

Isidro and Isma had spent hours looking for Puck, with the help of his brothers and other creatures they'd searched and searched but couldn't find him.

Isma leaned up against the thick trunk of a tree and yawned. She was getting really tired from the searching.

"This is so strange," Isidro scratched his head. "Puck is always around. He never goes off like this."

"Maybe he met a female elf and-"

Isidro shook his head. "No, something isn't right. I can feel it."

"It's getting late though, we should head back," Isma said.

"Not yet," Isidro said. "He's got to be around here somewhere! Puck! Puck where are you?"

So the two continued to look for their friend, the missing blue haired elf not realizing that just a few branches above them was the empty nest Puck had fallen asleep in but wasn't there anymore.

* * *

The sky had darkened. It was night time and Guts and Casca were breathing heavily. She'd gotten heated as they'd devoured each other's mouths, so she'd pulled off her shirt. It was too dark to see the little bite marks littered all over her breasts and neck, but she could feel them and she liked the tingling sensation her nipples were giving off.

He'd suckled at her with a voracity she couldn't put to words and every sweeping lick of his tongue, every little bit of suction and teeth scraping had made her core tighten. It wanted him. Her snatch was weeping to be filled up by the man who held her so tightly and yet so tenderly. The man who'd vowed to avenge their comrades. She hadn't been aware back then, but she was most certainly aware now, she had chosen the right men.

He had the capacity to be mean and even a little cruel but he had great capacity for love and affection. It amazed her that she could turn this big strong man into clay so moldable in her hands.

Her hands.

They'd skimmed over his large muscles, they'd scratched into him as he'd drawn a nipple into his mouth. They'd held on as he made her gasp and shudder. How could he do such marvelous things with that tongue?

She squirmed as he continued sucking her neck. He'd leave marks anyone would be able to identify even with her dark skin. She didn't care, she'd wear the scars he'd give her like medals. It was such a blessing to be in his arms again, this man who didn't look like he could be careful but was just that with her.

Guts never went too far, too fast. He let her lead him. He asked her for permission because he understood what she'd gone through and he was serious about not triggering any bad memories and he didn't. He looked her straight in the eyes, he made her stare at him and know it was him touching her. Even though he was so hard and stiff under her, he didn't push her into anything. He didn't even ask her to slake his own needs, everything he did was to cater to her.

She doubted that would last for too long. He was a man after all and she understood that men had certain needs.

"Guts?"

"Hmm…?" he was nibbling on her ear, it was like he couldn't get enough of her.

"I want to make love to you," the words made him push his back against the tree so he could take her all in carefully. Her breasts might not be massive, but on her tiny frame they were definitely a sight to admire.

"But?" his lips were a bit red and puffy from the sheer amount of kissing they'd done. He could do so much more, if she'd let him.

Casca smiled at that question, he knew her so well. She lifted from his lap, her breasts bouncing about so provocatively she saw him lick his lips. Her insides lurched. Did he realize he was staring at her like a starved animal?

"But, we can't. At least not right now." She moved from him, trying to find her shirt.

Guts watched her. He knew what she was looking for and when she'd turned her back to him, he took the shirt she couldn't find and put it behind his back. Her breasts with those tiny extended nipples shining in the night light were just phenomenal.

"When?" He asked. "When can I have you again?"

She frowned because she was certain the shirt should be nearby. She couldn't recall chucking it anywhere. The chill wind on her sensitive buds were sending even more sensations to her core. She'd be touching herself that night.

"Unfortunately for us both, not any time soon," she said. "I can't find my top."

He was still staring at her ripeness. Her slender back, her curvy ass still covered by her training pants…

"Help me find it damn you!" she huffed and cupped her breasts, to warm them up. "I'm cold."

"If you'd come back here so I can continue what I was doing you wouldn't be cold," he countered. He wasn't anywhere near done with those luscious curves.

She raised a brow in his direction. "It's getting late. I need to wash and have something to eat. I'm hungry."

"So am I," he licked his lips. "You look really good to eat."

"Idiot," a flush spread from her chest to face, luckily she was so brown and the sky was as dark as it was or he'd probably see how red she became.

"Should I apologize?" he smirked.

"No, you should help me find my shirt before my breasts fall off," she found a pebble and threw it at him. Beside the pebble was the dagger he'd dropped and forgotten.

He sighed, "Well I can't allow that to happen, I like them where they are," he leaned forward, pulled the shirt from behind him and tossed the shirt at her.

"You bastard! You had it all this time!" she wanted to strangle him.

"Yes well, you're serious about leaving so…" he dodged suddenly at the dagger she'd picked up and threw in his direction.

"Idiot! Suppose I catch a cold or something?" she pulled her shirt on.

"You're too stubborn to catch a cold," he pulled the dagger out the tree. "That was a good throw, by the way, you attack better when you're angry…. Just like me."

"Well that's good to know," she glared. "Because I am pretty angry."

"It's just a shirt-"

"Not the shirt Guts," she headed closer to the waterfall. "I mean I'm pretty angry at what happened to us and that's a good thing because I'm going to fuse all of that into my training. This is why we can't make love yet." Her hands were stretched out and she balled them into fists. "I can't afford getting with child when I haven't exacted my revenge on those bastard apostles and… and… what's the name of that faction again? The one Griffith chose over us?"

Guts was momentarily shocked she could actually say that bastard's name now.

"The Godhand" he'd gotten up and was straightening his own clothes. His cock was harder than his Dragon Slayer at that moment, but he was getting used to that kind of discomfort with Casca.

"Yes, that fucking Godhand," she growled, her hands balling into fists. "I'll destroy them all for what they did to me…" she said, paused and then corrected, "…to us. Yes, to all of us."

Guts picked up his dragon slayer and attached it to his back, all the while he eyed her and took in her words, her tone. Something had thrown him off. She'd just been so hot and aroused in his arms, so passionate and soft mere minutes ago, now she was spitting mad. And he swore he saw something in the way she held herself, he wasn't sure but it felt dark and ominous to him.

"Casca?" he trudged toward her, took her by the wrist and turned her to face him but all he saw was his beautiful Casca.

"With your help of course," she smiled at him. "I'll destroy them all with your help,"

A strange chill blew over him and it wasn't the night air. Something about Casca wasn't sitting right with him.

"What is it?" she tilted her head. "You know I can get just as angry as you can."

Yes she most certainly could but he believed she could get even more enraged than he ever could and that would be terrifying. He'd have to watch her even closer than he already was and most definitely not with a perverted eye but a critical one. He knew just how destabilized a person could get when consumed with such rage.

"Guts? What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "Let's go," he put his hand on the small of her back and lead her through the forest but his mind couldn't stop playing the sound of her voice, the words, the absolute contempt in them. He should've been happy but for some reason, seeing Casca blazing with that level of fury had taken him aback. He'd have to ensure she didn't lose herself in her vengeance. He didn't want her to end up like him.

"I have to get stronger Guts," she said as they walked along. "There isn't much time."

"No need for impatience," he told her. "I'll speak to the Flowerstorm King and see how much time we've got."

"I need at least a month," she tapped her chin.

"At least three," he corrected. "There's no need to rush your training Casca, you'll injure yourself. Griffith's a god or whatever the fuck he's calling himself now so we have time."

She nodded, he was probably right. No, he definitely was right. "Do you think I'll be strong enough in three months?" She asked.

"You'll be strong enough to hold your own again against humans and minor demons," he told her. "You should leave the heavy lifting to me."

"You mean apostles like Zodd and The Godhand?"

"Yes unless Schierke can somehow give you one of those fetishes she has," he said and then quickly explained what the enchanted weapons were. "They were a major help in our battle against ogres and other mystical creatures."

"You said something about needing to do something with your armor?"

"The Berserker armor. I'm still not adept at using it and I need to master it if I'm going to stand a chance," he said.

"I'll need to find some armor of my own and better weapons too,"

"All in due time," he said as they finally made it the hollowed out tree where they were residing in Elfhelm. As they headed for the entrance, Guts heard Schierke scream.

"Something's wrong," Guts was suddenly sprinting into the spirit tree with Casca close behind.

* * *

Hungry and exhausted, Isidro and Isma had finally decided it was time to finish their search tomorrow if Puck didn't show up on his own. As they headed back to the spirit tree, Isidro scratched his head.

"This just isn't like him," he said.

"He'll turn up," Isma tried to be optimistic. "He probably just needed a little time to himself. I mean, I've heard a lot about your adventures and you all sound like you've been through so much, that now being here is so peaceful, he might just be by himself training too. Or maybe he's found another elf girl to be with for a little bit. I mean, Guts and the dark-skinned girl are surely taking advantage of the peace time they have while here."

They certainly were. Every time Isidro looked at Guts the guy was staring at Casca with a certain gaze that embarrassed even Isidro. Guts had a silent smolder about him that just got hotter when Casca was around. The bond between the two was tight and not easily broken.

Isidro had even decided not to be under Guts' foot so much and just train on his own as well so as to give Guts the opportunity to be with Casca who'd finally gotten her sanity back. He'd heard a few things about what had happened in their past and it was really messed up so Isidro was happy that Guts who had worked so hard to keep Casca safe could finally have a break from demon fighting every night to spend time with her.

Maybe Isma was right, maybe Puck had gone off to be on his own so as to give Guts his much deserved privacy.

"I guess you're right," Isidro nodded and then heard his stomach growl. "Let's head back and get something to eat."

"Yes please I'm starve-" Suddenly Isma stopped and pointed. "Hey isn't that Becchi?"

Isidro looked and saw a bird carrying the egg shaped fetish in its beak. "It is Becchi! Wait you don't think that bird ate Puck do you?"

Isma gasped. "I don't know! Suppose it did? Puck never lets anyone touch Becchi!"

"All right then! Let's knock that bird down!" Isidro picked up a rock and then began to climb a tall tree. "Okay let's see. If I knock it down here, it'll probably end up around the waterfall area." With his trajectory set, Isidro threw the rock and watched as it struck the bird.

The bird fell from the sky and just as projected it fell in the area he thought it would. Climbing down back to where Isma waited he pointed in the direction.

"We have to go this way!"

* * *

Ivalera couldn't take it anymore. Schierke's pain was thrumming through her body and the true pain hadn't even begun yet. She had to do something though so she dropped lightly onto Schierke's hair and putting her two hands onto the little witch's forehead she closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

"What are you doing?" Farnese asked.

"I'm drawing away some of the pain," Ivalera grimaced as Schierke's pain began to absorb into her body like a sponge. "This is hard on my mind and body but I can handle this," at least she hoped so.

She'd developed a plan to help Schierke and unknowingly to Farnese she would be a big part of it. There was only one way she knew that could effectively stop Schierke's pain and give her relief. By human standards she supposed it would seem a bit depraved and wrong, but she was an elf and she didn't see things the way humans did.

If laying with a man and allowing him to share and even draw away the pain was the only way to handle this situation, Ivalera would use every forbidden elven power she knew of to ensure it happened.

There were three human males in the traveling party she and Schierke had joined into. Serpico, Isidoro and Guts. The choice to Ivalera was plain as day. There was only one man who would do.

Ivalera's eyes opened as Casca walked in and through the door, she spied the male who would be able to help Schierke through her Witching Time, and he would help her, whether he wanted to or not.

She just needed to wait for the opportune time to set her plan into motion.

* * *

Okay Strugglers!

That's Chapter 4! Currently I am writing chapter 6 so I'm doing rather well. Things got a little dicey for a while because I was trying to do so many back and forth cuts between characters but I am so very excited and nervous about the direction I will be taking this story.

Anyway, I can't wait to post these next few chapters because I think everything just came together very well. Please leave a comment!

And until I post again! Keep Struggling!


	5. Chapter 5: Astral Maiden

Hey Strugglers!

I am actually kind of scared about this chapter but I'll post it anyway!

Thank you so much for the comments I've received! I get so giddy reading and re-reading what you all have to say!

Please continue dropping me a few lines and I'll continue to drop a few hundred for your reading pleasure… or displeasure, LOL.

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to Kentaro Miura.**_

 **Berserk:**

 **Astral Maiden**

Guts watched as Casca entered Schierke's bedchamber. When the door opened he saw Farnese and Ivalera. He couldn't see Schierke but he could hear her piercing scream and it suddenly saddened him. She was such a tiny little girl to be going through something as painful as her period? He wasn't sure but that was the only 'woman's issue' he could think of. That and birthing but there was no way Schierke was with child.

Once the door closed, Guts leaned up against the wall on the other side of the hall and felt the grooves in the tree. He hadn't expected to be so obviously concerned and bothered by Schierke's sickness but he'd heard her scream and his stomach had bottomed out.

"We've both grown very attached to the little witch," Serpico said. "When I heard she was sick I felt so useless. There's really nothing men can do in situations like this. Just wait and put up a strong front for the women."

Guts agreed. "It just came upon her suddenly? The sickness? It's not a demon or anything like that?" He could use a good demon to slay.

Serpico shook his head. "No apparently she'd developed a headache yesterday and it just blossomed into what it is now, high fever, coughing, vomiting. Horrible symptoms. They have to watch for dehydration, find ways to keep that fever down and get her to eat something because she needs her strength."

"So it's not the plague or anything?" He asked quickly. His mother, or at least, the woman Shisu who had found him as a mere babe, had gotten sick with the plague when he was three and died with him by her side. He'd loved her and she'd been taken away so soon.

Was he cursed or something? Were all the people he came to love bound to suffer some sort of tragic, horrific fate?

"Swordsman and guardian" the voice of the Flowerstorm King sounded in Guts and Serpico's minds.

"What's happening?" Guts tried to tamp down his burgeoning concern.

"Will Schierke be okay?" Serpico followed up.

"I cannot guarantee but she is strong and fighting," she said.

"Where are you?" Guts hadn't seen her in the room but he hadn't seen the entire room either.

"I am in my library researching Witching Time," she told him. "That is what's happening with the little witch."

"Witching Time?" Serpico asked her

Then Guts asked, "Is that her first blood or something?" He knew females went through bleeding cycles and Schierke could possibly be experiencing her first one.

"Of a sort, but it is something far more complex than just stepping into womanhood," she said. "I will explain as best as I can once I am done with my research. She's in severe pain right now and I know of but one way to help her with that, however that way may be far too depraved, for want of a better term,"

"What way?" Guts asked but then the Flowerstorm King dropped the connection. "What do you think?" He asked Serpico.

"She said depraved, it must be something beyond the pale or something" he frowned and shook his head. "I can come up will all manner of depraved things but I'd rather not have those images joined with our little comrade Schierke."

"I agree," Guts nodded. "Witching Time. I wonder if Puck knows of it. You know where he is? I haven't seen him since early this evening."

"I know Isidro and the little merrow girl was looking for him. They aren't back and haven't been back so they must still be searching for our elven friend," Serpico exhaled. "I admit I'm worried about that as well and I would go to look for him but I know not when Lady Farnese will ask of anything from me. I need to be on hand."

"I'll go search for him after I find out about Schierke," Guts said. "He's probably off with his brothers."

"I don't think so," Serpico shook his head. "I did see him leave with that strange egg fetish."

Guts didn't like the sound of that. The Behelit didn't belong to Puck because Behelits had human holders. "Then he's probably out showing off the Behelit he claims as his. There's not much for him to do now that we're here."

"You're probably right," Serpico said but even he didn't sound as if he believed that.

Guts turned his head to look out the window. The last time he'd seen the little elf had been at the waterfall, he'd gone off to get something but Guts couldn't remember because he'd been thinking about Casca. Then Guts had gone off to battle Schierke's scarecrows and hadn't thought about Puck until just that moment. He frowned, was he neglecting Puck and even Schierke, unknowingly, now that he had Casca back?

"I really don't like that egg though," Serpico broke Guts out of his thoughts. "I admit to having the strongest urge to dispose of it. I also don't like the route Lady Farnese is so adamant about taking," he continued. "Following you."

"You two can leave whenever you wish," Guts yawned. "I'm not stopping you."

"Lady Farnese has been having horrible nightmares ever since she helped to bring your Casca back," Serpico's narrow eyes surveyed him. "She's been sleeping in my bed for two nights now, shaking and crying from the images. She says they won't stop, demons everywhere tying her up and… hurting her."

Guts remained silent. He had a lot to thank Farnese and Schierke for. They had indeed risked their own sanities by delving into Casca's tormented and fragmented mind. He'd thought they'd gotten out unscathed but it seemed he was wrong because Farnese was having nightmares, Schierke was now sick (though he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with going into Casca's mind) and then there was Casca herself and the strange feeling he'd gotten upon hearing of her own anger and rage. It was like a completely different person, it was like him when he'd started his journey as the Black Swordsman.

"Tell me of this path you are on," Serpico asked. "Why is that demonic egg fetish so important?" He leaned up against the opposite wall, just watching Guts' reactions. It was something he excelled at, reading people and their emotions.

"The full power of the Behelit is mostly unknown," Guts said to him. "I do know that it has the power to open up a dimension called the Interstice, a dimension between the earthly realm and astral plane. It is there that five demonic beings called the Godhand reside. These beings can give a chosen human one wish they desire in return that human must make a sacrifice that is worth what they desire and become an Apostle- a demonic being. I've hunted down many of the Apostles but there is one particular member of the Godhand that my blade hungers for. It is him I seek to destroy for what he did to Casca and the Band I'd been with for three years. He was the leader of the Band of the Hawk. Griffith."

"I know of him," Serpico said. "But then again many knew of that band being knighted and soon after, hunted down for treason. One day a little more than two years ago they all vanished though."

"It was because of him," Guts' bandaged fists balled tightly. The images were stained to the back of his eyelids. They were still fresh but he noted a noticeable waning in the intensity of his anger. Now that he had companions again, now that he'd decided not to leave Casca behind and to choose her over his anger, he'd become soft. Too soft.

"That brand on your neck. He sacrificed you, Casca and the entire band?"

Guts nodded stiffly. "Casca and I obviously got out, not unscathed but alive. I lost my eye and my arm, she lost her mind. I lost my mind at one point as well, which is why you know the name Black Swordsman but I've recently regained my sanity just as Casca has. We see clearly, we know what we must do."

Serpico rubbed his neck and looked up at the leafy ceiling. "You just got her back but you're going to let her return to battle?"

Guts remained silent at that question.

"Will she even be ready for the kind of battle I see forming in my head?" Serpico frowned deeply. He saw all kinds of heinous monsters that belonged in fairytales and the fight between man and monster being one of epic and gruesome proportions, pure nightmare fuel.

"I'm not sure," Guts said that but already knew that Casca would not be ready by the time he decided to leave Elfhelm. It would be a lot sooner than they all were probably thinking but he needed to get back out there with the demons, he had a vendetta to continue.

"Would you give up on this fight if she asked you to stay here with her?" Serpico liked asking the difficult questions.

Would he stay? At that moment, as he thought about how peaceful and happy his life was right now, he could say yes. But life had a way of fucking up all the good times. He could decide to stay here in the safety of Elfhelm with Casca but then the fucking godhand could pull some shit out their assholes and destroy the place somehow.

He shook his head. "No, I have a duty to fulfill and Casca would respect that."

"Well, I know if I asked Lady Farnese to stay she'd whip me good," Serpico sighed "Lady Farnese will see this through," he sounded exhausted at the thought. "I see her going forward with you because of the magic power she is obtaining. I too need to become stronger."

"We all do," Guts yawned again.

He'd been out from early morning watching Casca train and then going off on his own training. He needed a more intense level of battle if he was going to stay sharp. If he could fight an apostle like Zodd again that would help keep him sharp. The brand, in a way, was most definitely a curse but even a bit of a blessing for Guts. The nightly attacks kept him swinging his sword, kept him evading death, kept him conquering his enemies. Those attacks had become more routine exercise than anything.

The brand was a gift from the Godhand that was supposed to ensure he died, but it was actually ensuring he became stronger in order to kill the demons who'd given it to him. The gift of the Godhand was a double edged sword.

* * *

Isidro and Isma finally made it to the top of the waterfall but they couldn't find where the bird had dropped.

"Are you certain it dropped over here?" Isma asked unsure.

"Yes," He said confidently. He was a superb marksman. He'd had to kill and eat many a bird on his travels, so he always knew the main area his kill would be in. "It's around- there it is! I knew it!" He'd been looking over the waterfall and there on the ground below was the bird and the grey Behelit.

"Man, now we gotta find a way down there," he frowned.

"Hey why not just ride the waterfall?"

"Ride-?" Before he could clarify the little merrow girl whispered something and her feet transformed into a mermaid tail. Grabbing Isidro she jumped into the water and proceeded to navigate down the waterfall, careful for rocks.

Once she was in the river below, she lifted Isidro who was in a daze from the experience, onto the bank. He sputtered and then huffed, "Are you crazy? We could've died!"

"Yes but we're not dead and we're down here now," she continued to swim in the water. "Go get Becchi and see if the bird ate Puck. I'll be really sad if it did."

Sad was an understatement. Isidro got up, he was soaked through and didn't like it but at least they hadn't needed to find another long route to get where they were now. Going to the bird, he took out his knife and careful bisected it but there was no Puck in its insides.

"Well?" Isma came out of the water on her two legs.

"He's not here," Puck picked up the Behelit and headed to where Isma was. "I think we can head back now. We should be close to the Spirit tree," He said as he looked at the grey Behelit.

"That thing is creepy! Can I see it?" She held her hand out for it and Isidro handed it to her. "I wonder what it does," she said staring at the two closed eyes, nose and mouth. She was staring at it closely when suddenly an eye popped open and with a shriek, Isma accidently tossed the Behelit into the water.

"You idiot!" Isidro shouted and then jumped into the water to search.

"I'm sorry but the eye opened!" Isma went back into the water to look as well. "I didn't expect it to do that. I'm sorry."

"Let's just find it!"

And so the two searched and searched, not knowing that the Behelit had a mind of its own. It would hide within the rocks and wouldn't be found until he desired to be.

* * *

"Is this her first blood?" Casca finally got the moment to ask as she opened the window to let fresh air in.

She'd been in the room for ten minutes helping Farnese clean up the room, everything was tense and serious until Ivalera had worked her magic. Schierke had regurgitated on the floor and thanks Ivalera abating the worst of her pain she now lay in spasms on the bed. Her green hair was matted with sweat, her little face red from exertion and exhaustion.

"Looks like it," Farnese said. "I remember mine. It was bad but not so bad as this."

Casca had remembered hers too and relayed the story to the blonde haired woman.

It'd been her first time on the battlefield when cramps had nearly drove her to the ground. A soldier had attacked her, but she'd fallen so suddenly, it took him aback and she stabbed him through the heart. Then she managed to find two large rocks to hide within until the pain subsided. She'd thought something was wrong with her when she saw blood draining down her legs. Luckily though the battle hadn't lasted long and she and the Band of the Hawk, a small faction lead by Griffith had hit a tavern where she managed to get help from a nice old tavern lady who explained what was happening. After that day, Casca was always prepared with rags and a vial of liquid that helped ease the pain when she felt her cycle would come.

She hadn't had that problem again until years later when Guts had become a part of the Band of the Hawk. She'd nearly gotten them both killed by passing out next to the edge of a cliff, falling and landing in a river. He'd fished them both out and cared for her.

A small smile came to her face at the memory.

"You're thinking about him,"

Casca's attention shot to Farnese. "Sorry, a memory had come back to me."

"I think I know which one that is," Farnese picked up the rag she was cleaning up vomit with and dumped it into the bucket to wring out clean. "Guts made it quite clear about that particular memory unless I'm wrong."

Casca's face lit up and she turned away from Farnese who was still watching her with her bright green eyes. "Guts is an idiot."

"All men are idiots," Ivalera who flew to a medium sized, clear jar and went into it.

"What are you doing?" Farnese asked. It was strange for an elf to willingly get into a bottle.

"Don't mind me," Ivalera brushed her off. Her head was pounding. "Clean the room up, Schierke needs to wash and the sheets need to change.

Casca tried to hide the frown but she was never really good at concealing her thoughts or emotions. "You're in pain," she said.

"I'm Schierke's guardian, it's an honor to share her pain" Ivalera said as she closed her eyes. She felt sick from the pain, almost crazy with it but she kept it bottled within. Schierke's pain would convert to a very powerful dust and a lot of it if Ivalera could convert it within her for a few minutes. The dust would drop from her wings and she'd need to be in a contained space so it didn't get everywhere.

"So that story Guts told in the clearing did happen?" Farnese turned to Casca because Ivalera just seemed to be having a rough time of it, which was understandable.

"Yes and now I'm going to have to hit him since you still remember him saying that," Casca cracked her fingers.

"You really do know how to handle him," Farnese stood up and picked up the bucket. "That's quite an achievement, I doubt any woman other than you could."

"He's not that hard to handle," Casca shrugged. "We've known each other for a long time, experienced things together. I used to hate him in the-"

"Sorry but this isn't time to walk down memory lane," Ivalera began to shake her wings and little bits of dust fell into the jar. "What's happening to Schierke has only just begun. It'll be a lot worse in the next few hours. We have to prepare."

"You're right," picking up the bucket she'd been using, Farnese headed for the door. "I'll get Serpico and Guts to bring a tub of water to wash Schierke."

"Don't forget to do that thing I told you about," Ivalera managed a tiny smile.

When Farnese left, Casca's dark eyes drifted to the elf dressed in purple pink. "You know what this is." It wasn't a question.

Ivalera's large pink eyes connected with Casca's and then widened almost scarily. It was time to commence her plan. Throwing out her hands swiftly in Casca's direction, Ivalera spoke in a hallowed voice: "Forbidden Elven Technique, come forth Astral Maiden!" From her tiny hands, a pink smoke began to fill the room creating a barrier first.

"Ivalera what's going on?" Casca reached for her sword and unsheathed the blade.

The pink smoke then began to move and come together to form a human sized elven female with soulless white eyes, long straight gold hair and large wings. She wore only leaves to cover her voluptuous figure but her body was insubstantial and pearlescent in color.

Casca slashed at the creature but the blade went through as if she were cutting air. Casca gasped as the smoke surrounded her. She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe. Her eyes began to water and she fell to her knees weak.

"Ivalera- what, why are you doing this?"

The elven female ignored Casca's questions and then went into the forehead of the Astral Maiden to control it. "Forbidden Elven Technique: Mind Cracker" Ivalera moved the hands of the Astral Maiden to capture Casca's head in its wispy hands, fingers to Casca's temples.

Casca tried to fight but her body became instantly sluggish. She hadn't been training long at all, merely two days and the training she'd been doing was meant to strengthen her physical body but this- this astral creature was working on a different plane, a mental plane and Casca's mental state still wasn't fully healed. It would never be fully healed but it was still fragile and on the men. This invasion of her mind would destroy her completely.

"Why?" Tears began to form in her eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because Schierke needs Guts more than you," Ivalera said. "To end the suffering of her Witching Time, Guts must lay with her."

Casca was taken aback and for a moment words failed her. "I don't understand."

"You don't need to," Ivalera's eyes widened. "I am sorry Casca. I do not hate you but Schierke's Witching Time was triggered by entering your mind. She saw things a young girl should not have. Just images are enough to set it off in one as young as Schierke. Tis unfortunate that you must go back to being Elaine after finally gaining your sanity back."

"I- I will not go back to that useless state," Casca began to fight, but physical attacks just wouldn't work. The little strength she had was being eaten up by the astral creature.

"You have no choice in this," Ivalera said. "My feelings for Schierke, as her guardian, are such that I can do nothing but aide her however I can."

"So you intend to kill me?" Casca continued to fight the invasion.

"I intend to send you away from here until Guts has fulfilled his duty to Schierke," she said. "I've seen how you are. You will not just go and let happen what must happen. But you need understand that in this world humans have no choice but to bend to fate, there is no such thing as free will. Now cease your resistance. I do not want to hurt you anymore than I need to."

The fingers of the Astral Maiden began to gouge into her head.

Casca continued to fight the intrusion. "Schierke's no more than twelve or thirteen. A child. Guts is a man full grown and he'll never do something like that! It's wrong."

Ivalera shook her head. "Who says it's wrong? You, human society? It may be depraved to humans but it's just the nature of this world."

"Why Guts?" Casca grabbed her head and squeezed tightly, that wasn't working to ease the pain though and she began to see stars. "I don't understand why him?"

"Guts is a strong and powerful man, with one thrust he could take her pain away," Ivalera said.

"One thrust and he could tear her apart," Casca grunted out. "Not that he'd ever do that. Yes he's strong and powerful, his pain tolerance is almost unreal. But he went through something when he was but a child himself and he would never- ever- no matter what you say or do- he would never lay with a child."

"So sorry you think that," Ivalera shrugged. "I don't expect you to understand but this is a crucial time when a young witch becomes fully formed. There was only one woman who handled her Time without assistance and that was Schierke's master Flora. But Flora was an anomaly of a witch. Most witches kill themselves due to pain or have a random weak male lay with them. That male would die from the pain transference, but sacrifices must be made. Guts won't die though. I know that for certain and I chose him for this because Schierke's fond of him as well. He's the best match for her."

"Does she think that?" Casca asked.

"I know Schierke, I know all of her feelings and what she feels for Guts makes him worthy of her because he made her feel that way."

Casca's brows ruffled. "Does he not get a choice in this?"

"Guts plans to fight a battle unlike any world has ever seen," Ivalera explained impressed that Casca was still fighting but it had only been a short while since Mind Cracker had been used. Casca was, after all, a fighter, so it really didn't come as a surprise to the elf.

"Schierke is the asset he needs to help defeat his enemies. When you were out of it, it was Schierke who fearlessly rode upon his back and brought back his sanity when he used the Berserker armor, armor you know nothing about. Also, it was Schierke who helped fight a battle with trolls, a sea god and other mystical entities! Schierke's powers will increase six fold once her Witching Time is over and she will be the one to stand beside Guts in battle. Now what about you? Do you really think you will be of any good in a battle of gods and monsters?"

Casca bit into her bottom lip until it bled, she was still fighting but with Ivalera's truthful words she felt her will begin to slip.

"You were far more useful as Elaine because at least you didn't have the will, stubbornness or strength to fight in a battle out of her depths, she just needed to be protected," Ivalera told her. "But you, as you are now, determined to fight even when you have no skill or power to destroy astral beings, you're nothing more than a burden. You'll think you can handle the demons but when the horde rises up, you'll see again how useless you truly are."

"I am not useless," Casca gritted out. She knew she was though, she clearly was. She couldn't even fight a tiny elf.

"Guts is nice to you because of your past history, but for this battle he must look to the future," Ivalera continued. "His future is with Schierke, so he won't just let her die. She will help him defeat his enemies and just you watch, he will leave you here in Elfhelm because you can't bring anything new to the battlefield. Back then you could've but right now you're worthless."

She was right. Tears came to Casca's eyes. Over two years of no fighting, being protected and being a burden and the warrior Casca, no matter how hard she trained, she still wouldn't have what was needed to fight the kind of battles Ivalera described. She might be able to soon best Serpico in a battle, she'd had more experience than him and was just a little rusty. She'd do well against humans but not against astral creatures.

But even as Casca thought that she held firm that Guts would never lay with Schierke no matter the circumstances.

"Say what you want about me," Casca said. "Your manipulations won't work upon him. It's not too late, you can stop this Ivalera. Guts will be back soon. If he sees what you are doing, he'll destroy you."

Ivalera shook her head and laughed. "No he won't," she cackled maniacally. "He's too busy dealing with Farnese and Serpico. Now be a good potato and stop resisting."

* * *

I wonder, who understands the potato reference? If you do please drop a comment!

This chapter was very fun because I got to talk a little about fate and free will which are two of the main themes in Berserk. I hope to delve into that a little more as the story progresses.

I don't really like Ivalera, if I'm honest, I find her a little grating so maybe that's why I decided to portray her like this. Her love for Schierke has always been evident, it's one of her best qualities. I also like my Forbidden Elven Techniques, I think that's a rather fun idea.

And poor Casca, this chick can't catch a break. She literally just got her mind back and now she's being forced into losing it again! But fight on Casca, you're The Struggler's woman.

Puck is also MIA. What did Becchi do with him? Did he eat him? Anyway, Becchi is doing its own thing right now, lying in wait for its owner like a trap door spider I guess.

Okay! So that's it for this chapter! I think it's getting rather interesting now, don't you?

Anyway, until I post again, keep struggling!


	6. Chapter 6: Dust Like Breadcrumbs

Hello Strugglers!

Not much to say but here's the next chapter.

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to Kentaro Miura.**_

 **Berserk:**

 **Dust like Breadcrumbs**

"I give up," Isidro groaned and came out of the river. "Come on, we better go."

Isma shook her head and continued to look for the Behelit she'd dropped. She picked up stone after stone to quickly analyze even though the sky had darkened. "No, I'll stay and look."

"It's night time now, we won't be able to find it. We can check again in the morning."

She shook her head determined, her blue hair hitting her in her face. "No, I can't go back until I find it!"

Isidro growled out, fists balled, annoyed. "Isma it could be long gone down the river by now. We've been searching for hours. We should just head back-"

"But-" tears began to fall from her big eyes. "Master Guts will be very displeased with me. I just joined the group and already I've lost the egg-shaped object. He will hate me."

Isidro stared at the girl for a moment and remembered, oh too easily how Guts could be. He understood. With a sigh he went to the water and held his hand out to her. "Don't worry. It's my fault."

"But-"

He reached out and put his hand on her shoulder. "It was in my care and because of me it got lost in the river," he said. "Guts will take his anger out on me and that's okay because I'm already used to it."

Isma began to sniffle, eyes watery. "But why? Why would you-"

He gave her a cocky smile and crossed his arms, "Because I'm a man and true men always save damsels in distressed." Which was true if he took Guts as his standard, a man who went above and beyond to save Casca who seemed to always get herself into distressing situations.

Isma looked the perfect distressed maiden and Isidro felt good being able to do something that followed the same vein as Guts. It had taken a little time for Isidro to get Guts to train him but now Guts was kicking his ass at fighting, giving him pointers and helping him to get better.

"Anyway, it's not that big a deal," he shrugged and held his hand out to her.

"Thank you," She took his hand and stepped out of the water.

As they headed through the forest, Isma thought about the journey she was on. She'd lived on that tiny island, segregated from the villagers who'd been turned into monstrous creatures. She'd found her mother and accessed her merrow gifts. She didn't know what she hoped to gain from it but Isidro and the others had helped her and her race, so maybe there was something she could do to pay them back. She didn't know what exactly but here on Skeelig, it was obvious that everyone was trying to get stronger.

"Master Guts came here to help Casca, right?" Isma asked.

"Yeah, something like that," Isidro scratched his spiky brown hair. "We weren't sure if that Flower King could help her but she was able to, now apparently the real Casca's back. I mean I didn't quite understand why Guts was so interested in her, I mean she was always a looker, but I see now. Casca's great. Strong and beautiful."

Isma nodded, Casca really was just that, a powerful woman, but she would have to be to handle a man as big and scary as Master Guts was. "What kind of journey are you all on?"

"Hmm… I don't know all the details," Isidro said. "But some guy Guts used to know did something really bad so Guts is going to stick it to him in the worst way."

"Revenge then," Isma simplified.

"Might be more than that but I guess," he shrugged.

"So why do you go with him?" Isma asked. "It's going to be dangerous, I can feel it. You won't last-"

Isidro stopped and turned on her. "I'm getting better! I may not be the strongest, second strongest or even third strongest in the group but even I can do things. I choose to follow him on my own. If I die, it's because I was too weak. I will become a swordsman that's even better than the legendary 100 Man Slayer!"

"100 Man Slayer?" Isma's question lead Isidro into a rousing tale of Raiders Captain of the Band of the Hawk, his real name was a mystery but the legend of the man who cut down one hundred men by himself in a forest was well known throughout Midland.

"Wow," Isma said amazed. "Sounds like Master Guts to me."

Isidro shook his head. "No, Guts is good but-"

"Are you saying he doesn't look like a man who could take down that many men?" Isma asked. "After seeing what Master Guts can do, if there's anyone out there who could do such a think I'd think it'd be him."

Isidro thought about it briefly but then shook his head. "No, it's not him," however, as he continued to think about it, he began to feel that Guts really was the 100 Man Slayer.

* * *

Guts rubbed a dirty hand down his face, Serpico and Farnese lay on the floor unconscious. He'd probably knocked them a little too hard in their heads, but at least they weren't dead. They'd just turned on him and attacked all of a sudden.

At first, he thought Serpico was just messing around but then Farnese jumped in with tree creatures and it had been quite the little battle. He'd enjoyed it, quite frankly, but this wasn't the time to be enjoying battles with the members of his group, especially a battle they didn't realize they were having.

Guts was tying them up back to back, just in case they woke and thought it best to attack him again. He didn't have time for them and he didn't want them hurting anyone else. So he tied the knot again for good measure.

His brand wasn't acting up so he knew what had happened wasn't related to the Godhand. Still, it worried him that even Serpico had found himself under the control of some spell and if slippery Serpico could get caught then Casca would probably be far too easy to control.

Casca. His mind immediately dropped to her and decided it was best to hurry and check in just in case. The brand might not be acting up but that just meant there was some other kind of enemy about.

Guts picked up the two, turned on his heel and began to head back inside to Schierke's room. Their fight had led them from the water wheel into the forest. Quickly he began to eat up the distance when he saw Isidoro and Isma come from another section of the forest, the section that led to the waterfall.

"Guts!"

"Good. Take them," Guts handed Serpico and Farnese to Isidoro and Isma who both fell under the weight of their comrades.

"What's going on?"

"No time to explain," Guts said. "I have to check on Casca and Schierke."

And then he was off. Taking the tree steps three at a time was easy with his long, muscular legs. He got to Schierke's room and with his hand on the shaft of his Dragon Slayer, he turned the knob and pulled the door open quickly.

A pink smoke assaulted him.

"Damn it!" He'd known something was up.

He could see two figures, a good distance away from the door so, detaching his sword, he took one quick swing into the room and tore through the smoky barrier. He watched as the pink smoke coiled around his massive sword, as if caressing it, branding it, and then seemed to dissipate like mist.

Walking in, surveying quickly, his eyes locked on Casca who was on her knees, fingers pressed tightly to her temples, as a strange astral creature's fingers were embedded in her head. Was she regressing again?

Casca was breathing hard, drained, but her eyes were still alive as she glared with fire at the astral being. She was fighting. She was fighting alone and hurting as she fought.

Everything went black and an enraged roar past Guts' lips before he charged toward the astral creature and sliced its head off of its shoulders, tearing through the tops of its wings and the creature vanished like a puff of smoke, leaving behind the puppet master.

"Ah!" Ivalera shrieked in shock and absolute terror. She dropped to the ground, like a fly dying in midair. Pain shot through her entire being and tears poured down her face. She couldn't say anything. Her plan had failed.

She was going to die. Schierke wouldn't get the help she needed and would die as well.

Guts, blackened with rage, lifted his massive sword to swing down on the bitch that dared to hurt his woman. His sword would make a gaping hole into the floor boards of Schierke's room, in fact, he could probably take down the entire structure how absolutely infuriated he was.

"Guts! Stop!" Casca's voice broke through.

Somehow, through the blackness and rage pounding through his entire body, Guts managed to hear Casca loud, commanding, strong and clear. He stopped before he could decimate the creature. Closing his eyes, he focused on just breathing for a moment. He needed to calm down or he wouldn't be able to control himself.

Ivalera managed to flit away and hide beneath Schierke's hat that was resting beside the little witch asleep on the bed, shaking and retching from fear. Her life had flashed before her eyes in an instant. On top of that, the adverse effects of using two forbidden techniques were beginning to creep up on her. This would be bad. She wanted to scream from the debilitating pain but her fear of Guts made her choke on the sounds. She was too afraid to make even the littlest of noises for that man… that man would- he'd nearly crushed her with his sword. Crush was an understatement, if Casca hadn't stilled his hand, she'd be nothing more than a smudge on the splinter of a floorboard.

"Guts?" Casca called to him.

With a long, deep shaking inhalation and exhalation, Guts attached his sword to his back and then turned to sweep Casca up into his massive arms. He took a look at her face and saw the bruises on her temples and gritted his teeth.

Suddenly Isidro and Isma walked into the room and the tension was so thick they couldn't move or speak. They could only watch as Casca put her hands onto Gut's face, a face so menacing and scary it made Isma hide behind Isidro's back in fear.

"I'm okay," Casca whispered. "I'm fine."

"No you're not," he growled out and then holding her with one arm, he pulled out a dagger and threw it at Schierke's hat. The top of the hat caught on the tip of the blade and lodged into the wall, breaking something.

Ivalera gasped as her covering was taken from her. She stared wide eyed at Guts whose face was a portrait of fury. She couldn't hide anywhere.

Then pointing a finger at her, "I will never forgive you," he said before heading to the open window, putting his foot on the sill and jumping out, Dragon Slayer, Casca and all with ease.

Isidro ran to the window and looked out as Guts shot off through the forest in the direction of the waterfall with Casca in his arms and palpable rage beating off of him.

Looking at Ivalera, Isidro asked, "What the hell happened?"

Ivalera could only tear up and cry.

"I don't get it," Isidro scratched his head.

"You needn't worry, young Isidro," the voice of the Flowerstorm King came to him and then she materialized into the room.

Making a quick survey of everyone in the room, The King sighed and shook her head and went to Ivalera who was sobbing brokenly. Fear and pain was just slamming through her tiny body.

"It's okay," The King said as she picked Ivalera up into her palm.

"He hates me," she cried. "He's going to kill me. Torture me. He's going to pluck off my wings one by one, stab a stick through me and light me ablaze."

"He will do no such thing," The King told her. "You do not understand now, but what you have done was meant to happen."

Ivalera continued to sob. "You have done well, young elf, in furthering the line of causality," The King continued. "You think the swordsman will want you dead for the pain you put his lover through, but I say to you, he will not do that for his love will stay his retribution."

"But I hurt her," Ivalera sniffled and more tears ran down her little face.

"Yes," The King nodded, "But at the end of pain is success. It may not look it, but you've done a great thing this day."

"I don't get it," Isidro grumbled. "What did you do Ivalera?"

"You have something else you need to concern yourself with Isidro," The King said to him.

Scratching his head he gazed at The King who was still holding Ivalera. The Flower King was so cryptic it hurt his head.

"You will be in a lot of pain little one. However, I have prepared a tea for you as I knew you would need it." The Flower King said to Ivalera. "Go to the my room and my servants will attend to you,"

"But Schierke, her Witching Time-"

"I will handle this," The King said. "Trust me. You won't be of any use to her in your state."

The King was right, Ivalera knew it so with a nod and one last look at Schierke in her young form, Ivalera left.

Then The Flowerstorm King walked to Isma who was shaking. She put her hand on Isma's shoulder, "I think you need a nice, soothing bath. It's been a long day hasn't it?"

Isma nodded, still shaking from the intense fear Guts had instilled in her. She wasn't too sure she wanted to continue following him. He was a lot scarier than she thought he ever could be.

"Now, now, don't think such things" The King smiled at her.

"But I lost the egg-shaped object he values," Isma couldn't imagine having to deal with Guts and that kind of rage.

Isidro was about to say something, annoyed at her.

"That object is not lost," The King assured her. "It will appear when the time is right. Now go little one, your bed calls."

Isma suddenly yawned and began to head off.

"Yeah I think I'll head off as well," Isidro put his hand in his pockets and began to leave when the door shut and locked.

"What the-"

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave as yet, young Isidro," The Flowerstorm King smiled at him. "There is a serious task I must ask you to undertake. Have a seat please."

He looked at the King and saw that she was serious, so he nodded and sat down. But just as he did, Schierke began to scream.

* * *

Guts didn't know what to do with himself. Once reaching the waterfall, he'd set Casca away from him, then proceeded to crash his sword repeatedly into the ground.

"How dare she?" Pure rage poured out of him. "How dare that elf bitch do that to you!"

Casca watched him, her stare blank. He would soon snap out of his fury and then all his attention would be upon her. Attention, at that moment, she really didn't want to deal with.

She loved him, but she didn't want to talk about what had happened. A man like Guts wouldn't pester her for answers, oh no, a man like Guts would ask her once or twice and if she didn't tell him, he'd go to the source of the problem and if the problem was alive he would proceed to beat the ever living shit out of whatever it was… then kill it.

Ivalera's life was hanging in the balance. All Casca needed to say was 'kill her' and Guts would do as she asked, no doubt about it. She held the reins in their relationship, not because he was weak to her but because he trusted her with them. Trusted her to steer him right because sometimes he just couldn't see straight or as clearly as he should.

But… she really didn't want to deal with this situation. Not now.

"Damn it," Guts ground out but his rage had abated enough for him to concentrate.

That was fast. Too fast for Casca. He wasn't supposed to attend to her yet. She froze and began to think of what to do to take his mind off of what had happened.

Guts' long legs ate up the distance between them and soon, he was a towering figure she struggled not to look up to. "Are you hurt? I'm sorry," He said quickly, "I was just so fucking angry I forgot to ask."

Casca remained silent for a moment and then, wordlessly, she closed the space between them and rested her head upon his chest. She'd done this before. They'd been at a waterfall that time too. The tears came to her eyes and she looked up at him with a wobbly smile.

"Idiot," she whispered and then on the tips of her toes, she reached up and put her arms around his thick, corded neck, pulling him down to her she kissed him.

"Cas-" the moment he opened his lips to speak, Casca's tongue swept into his mouth, elevating their kiss to a level of astounding, breathless passion. He forgot words.

Gut's hands went to her tiny waist and lifted her so that her legs could wrap around his and give her better, more comfortable access to his mouth, the mouth she seemed so desperate to drink from. He hardened because really, how could he not when his lover's tongue was mimicking the most primal act of lovemaking? Lovemaking he yearned for.

"Hmm…" she murmured and pressed her nice breasts up against him, her body fitted to him so perfectly, he couldn't resist squeezing her backside in the palms of his hands. "Thank you so much," she smattered kisses all over his face.

"For what," he dipped his face into her neck to suck her in a spot that made her thighs tighten and push her core even more into him.

"Rescuing me," she looked down into his eye and smiled. "Thank you."

Her smile dazzled him, put him in a daze even.

"You're okay?" his voice was a little raspy.

"More than okay," she leaned in to suck on his earlobe.

"Casca-"

"I'm fine" she whispered, "but all that excitement makes me want to have you right now Guts,"

She found the bottom of her shirt and pulled it off over her head, exposing those find breasts to him.

Guts lost his breath for a second. Everything was happening so fast. "Casca-"

"Shh…" she unwrapped her legs and put her feet to the ground. Then pulling his shirt from his trousers, she smoothed her hands underneath and up his hard muscles. "Let me thank you,"

Before he knew it, he too, was bare chested. She trailed kisses up his flat, hard stomach, until she reached his nipples and licked one before sucking on it. He groaned at the sensation of her mouth upon him. She bit down and he gasped as she moved to the next one and did the same.

"Hmm… I feel so impatient," she grabbed a hold of the laces on the front of his trousers.

"Casca-" her mouth latched onto his, making his head spin and the words toppled right out of it.

"Don't worry," she granted him a mischievous little smile that lifted the corner of her mouth. "I won't bite it off, I promise."

How she got his trousers down below his knees, baring him to the elements so fast, was a mystery. In the moment that her tiny hands wrapped around him, and she bent before him, he could only watch in shock and awe as she opened her mouth and took the thick, mushroom shaped head of his burgeoning staff between her lips and sucked.

Guts saw stars, he pulled away from the warm envelope of her mouth, only to lose his balance when his feet caught in his pants down at his ankles. He dropped to the grass, bare-assed and Casca stepped in between. He couldn't speak as she got onto her knees and cupped all of him boldly. She gave him one last, heated look before she bent her head, opened her mouth and made his thickened, intensely veined, pulsing member disappear.

Guts' back arched and his hand went to her head to stop her, or maybe keep her right where she was, but she gripped his hips and proceeded with a bobbing motion. Coupled with the right amount of intense suction, Guts closed his eyes and groaned in pleasure.

He gave up. Casca would get what she wanted and it was obvious she just wanted to please him, so he let her. He was too far gone to stop her in any case. Years without any real satisfaction had left him starved for her and there she was, so fucking beautiful lavishing his aching body with her soft, warm, wetness.

Guts' core tightened and he felt as if his balls were going to pull up into his body. Grabbing fistfuls of the grass and dirt beneath him, his back arched, toes tightened in his boots, and he let out a loud shout as his release tore through his body.

* * *

Meanwhile, Puck yawned with a stretch and began to rub his eyes. That sleep he'd gotten had been very refreshing. Looking around he gasped and began to flit in a circle taking in the surroundings.

He wasn't in Elfhelm anymore.

In fact, this place with its myriad of stairs, various platforms, doorways and blackness was oddly, frighteningly familiar.

Wrapping his arms around himself, he felt like he was about to hyperventilate. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how he'd gotten there… there…

The Godhand.

Memories of five demonic beings popped into his head and then he remembered, a younger, severely injured Guts, a half-dead slug-faced count and Theresia, the count's daughter. It had happened so many, many, many battles ago that Puck hadn't remembered automatically.

But now he did.

He was in the dimension where the Godhand resided.

"It must have been Becchi," he scratched his blue hair. That was the only logical reasoning he could come up with. He'd fallen asleep with the Behelit and when he'd opened his eyes he had been transported to this dimension.

Would the Godhand descend upon him and asked him for a sacrifice or something? He didn't know but he had to find a way out of that place since Becchi wasn't there with him. So Puck rubbed his wing and sprinkled dust upon the platform he had woken up on. He would use them as if they were breadcrumbs, like the two little children in a tale he had heard once before. There was no wind to carry the dust off and no birds to peck at the stuff either so, he should be able to find his way back if he needed to.

* * *

He was dead. Guts lay gasping on the grass, still shaking. There was no more of his release oozing out of him, Casca had made sure of that. It was the most perfect death, he thought as he closed his eyes. He didn't want to sleep but he just felt so damned good. He was satisfied for the moment, it had been a long day and his body felt so relaxed and unknotted that he couldn't resist nature's call to rest and replenish so he could expend himself in another, more physical way.

Casca stared down at Guts as he drifted off, with a small smile she kissed his scarred cheek and then laid on his bare chest, staring down at his privates. If he hadn't fallen asleep, she would've had to have taken things a lot further because she would've preferred the lovemaking over the talking.

She picked up her shirt that was by their legs and covered his privates with her shirt. Doing what she'd done had aroused her as well, she was very wet, but not unsatisfied because she'd gotten what she'd wanted out of the act.

Power.

It was powerful being able to silence such a strong man with the touch of a hand or the right amount of pull from her lips and tongue. He was so easy to handle sometimes, at least when it came to carnal things.

Getting up Casca ensured his head wasn't in an odd position to hurt his neck, pulling his boots off and tugging his pants off the rest of the way, she made a pillow and quickly put it under his head. Once he was settled, she got up and removed the rest of her clothing.

He'd been sweaty and a little musky, having not washed since morning, but she hadn't minded taking him into her mouth for a surge of power when she was feeling so weak and also for the greater good of her peace of mind. Now that he was asleep, she could cry a little about her own pathetic weakness and come to terms with the truth that she just would not be anything more than a burden to him on the battlefield now.

Going to the river bed, she stepped in and walked slowly to the waterfall. Putting herself under the water, she drenched her entire body and remained there just letting the water fall as she cried.

She could take down men on the battlefield but really, in the grand scheme of things she was completely useless. Ivalera had indeed spoken truth, compared to the young Schierke, Casca had nothing she could give Guts that would help in the battle against the Godhand.

Astral powers, mystical creatures, Casca had absolutely nothing. When it came to pure, raw power Guts had it all and somehow his blade had managed to cut through a creature hers couldn't.

Going to her knees, Casca felt the rocks and squeezed. What she didn't know was Becchi, the Behelit was hiding there.

"Casca?" Guts shot up and looked around frantically, then he got up searching, grabbing his sword that was nearby. "Casca!"

She remained silent just watching him from under the waterfall. All those tight muscles, really his body was perfection, so big and strong and hard. Her eyes locked on his firm ass and she gazed.

I'm useless she thought. When it comes to fighting these new battles, I am worthless. But when it comes to Guts' needs I am worthy of him. That's what matters now, she told herself. Catering to this man and making him happy, she thought as she continued to watch him. He really had no shame, he didn't even pull on his pants, he just continued surveying the area with his fine self.

Casca sat on the rocks watching him, he wouldn't think to look at the water yet, he ran off into the trees searching for her, still beautifully bare-assed. With her right hand, she put it between her legs and began to 'wash'. She'd given him release but hadn't take hers.

Slowly, she pressed a finger into her passage. She was tight, very tight. She hadn't been penetrated since… suddenly in her mind's eye Casca saw a woman attack the demons in the memory of the darkest time in Casca's life. She slayed the demons with such expert and skill, and when one demon tried to get around her, she pulled out a thorny whip, cast it out and sliced off the head of the demon. Casca was amazed at her sheer strength and formidability. She was vicious and brutal, she reminded her of Guts when he got angry. Magnificent in her rage.

The woman had long black hair pulled up into a ponytail, dressed in gleaming black armor and wielding a sword with golden symbols engraved on it. Once the demons, the foul memories, had dissipated, the woman turned and pointed her sword to show Casca something.

Casca looked and was amazed at what she saw beyond the mist. There was a fortress built and in its top most tower sat Elaine on a balcony, birds happily flying about her and a black dog resting its head on her lap. Elaine was safe and happy and the woman was standing at the gates of the fortress in a stance that said she was ready to take on any other horrid memory or demon that would dare to challenge her.

"Who are you?" Casca asked the woman.

"I am-"

But when Casca blinked again the warrior, the fortress and Elaine was gone. She didn't know what that was, but she felt content about the fact that Elaine was obviously safely tucked away. But that warrior, Casca felt a little jealousy creep over her and she frowned.

That warrior had been a sight to behold, a strong, skillful and powerful woman who could destroy astral creatures like those demons. If only Casca could become that woman and that sword, that armor… it was everything Casca desired in battle gear. That woman was fit to go into battle with Guts and protect his back.

But she wasn't that woman.

As Casca washed, the Behelit dislodged itself from the rocks and lifted to the surface of the water before her. There was no way she could miss it and it made her shriek how out of the blue it had appeared before her.

That shriek, she grimaced grabbing the Behelit, would bring her naked Guts running like a true barbarian back to the waterfall. She stared at the object.

"Now how did you get here?" she frowned. She knew what it was, remembered hearing of it when she'd been Elaine and knew of its importance. Its face was staring back at her and she thought it the ugliest thing but Griffith had, had a red one. She knew how he'd gotten that as well, some old lady had given it to him when he was but a child. It had been called the Crimson Behelit or Egg of the King. She scoffed and threw the Behelit back into the water, she wanted nothing to do with it.

"Casca!" Guts ran back into the clearing and looked around, this time, he looked at the waterfall and saw her.

She managed a small smirk, "Very nice," she waved her finger up and down pointing at his body.

He lodged his dragon slayer into the ground by the rocks on the edge of the river, pulled off his mechanical arm and headed into the water. "You were here all this time?" He sat in the water, his back against a rock.

"Yes," She cupped water in her hands and washed her face. "You looked very pleasing to me walking about naked. I especially liked the way your cock bobbed up and down-"

He went a little red in the face, cleared his throat and looked away from her. "We need to talk about what happened," he said.

She moved towards him, body wet and glistening in the moonlight. She would not distract him with that nice body of hers and those sweet lips, those big doe eyes either.

"Oh? But I think you forgot to deal with something first," she stepped to him boldly and then lifting one shapely leg onto the rock, she gave him and eyeful of her most private place. Her hand drifted down to the smattering of black hair that covered her mound and she rubbed her fingers in between. She was still wet and it wasn't just the river water.

"I remember giving you a very nice thank you but you fell asleep before I could get my own…" her voice laced with disappointment as she took her hand and cupped his cheek. "I thought I'd done a rather good job pleasing you, I didn't bite it off, I even swallowed… I just hoped you'd… reciprocate?"

Guts' hand went up to her bottom, and he pulled her to him. "I'm sorry," he kissed her mound, "Let me thank you properly, and then we'll talk."

Not if she had anything to do about it. After that last thought though, she ceased to think as Guts worked her over with his mouth, teeth and scalding tongue, her legs turned boneless. With a final, loudly moaned release, Casca drooped upon his chest, and began to fall asleep.

"No sleeping," with his hand he rubbed between her thighs with the water to clean her, she was very sensitive so she moaned, pushing against his hand.

"Hmm…" she murmured. "It's late though, I'm tired."

"We have to talk," he stood up holding her to him with his one arm.

She snuggled into his neck. "Don't be a brute, we can talk in the morning."

"No, I want to talk about this now," he took them out of the water and wished he'd worn his cape to wrap her up in. He didn't so he grabbed his shirt and managed to get her to put it on, then finding his favorite tree spot, he perched his sword against it then sat naked with her on top of him, warming them both. The night wasn't too chilly and the tree kept most of the cold breeze away.

Casca had fallen asleep by the time he'd situated himself.

"Damn woman," he grumbled and then leaned back against the tree. She'd played him like a flute, using his horny nature against him. "Damn dangerous woman," he continued to grumble and now that he could think he figured that the only reason she'd pleasured him, because he'd been filthy with sweat from his training, was because she wanted to get out of discussing what had happened between her and Ivalera, that fucking elven bitch was going to feel his wrath.

"If you think I'm going to give up on this Casca, think again," he said to himself. "When you wake in the morning, I'm keeping you far away from my cock so we can talk. You will not use that part of me to get what you want."

"I'm sure she'll be most disappointed in that,"

* * *

And I'm out.

Thanks for reading.


	7. Chapter 7: Vows Made

Hey Strugglers!

I know I posted yesterday but I had to post this one today because unfortunately I may have to go on a little hiatus. It sucks. But I hope to be back as soon as possible. I have a clear idea as to where I'm taking the story. I already have a basic idea of how I'm ending it. So please give me some time to get some stuff straight.

***Please Review***

Now on to the story!

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership to Kentaro Miura.**_

 **Berserk:**

 **Vows Made**

Puck continued wandering around the dark Interstice, going through darkened doorways spreading his dust about as he searched. He didn't know how long he'd been there, but his wings were getting tired so he knew it had to be around three hours.

There was just nothing there but passageways that lead to nowhere, stairs that went to nowhere and platforms all about that just floated about in the nothingness.

"You'd think a Godhand or some guard would show up or something," Puck muttered. "I mean can't they sense an intruder in their hallowed space? I could be sabotaging their home!" If only he knew how to do that.

With a sigh, he found a platform and sat down in the middle of it. Apparently, all he could do was wait. Wait for the Godhand, wait for death or wait for Guts.

Guts. Tears welled up in Puck's eyes. How had he gone from thinking about being an asset to Guts, finding his purpose, to being lost and alone in the Interstice.

"Damned Becchi," Puck wiped his tears. The Behelit wasn't even there with him. "I must be in its mouth or something. I don't even know how this works."

"Would you like to find out?"

Puck turned around swiftly to see a young woman dressed in a long red nightgown. She was beautiful with wavy black hair that kissed the small of her back and the face of a doll.

"Theresia?"

Puck could hardly believe Theresia was there. At first he thought she was an illusion but there was a spark in her eyes that he remembered and realized that she was real.

"You remember me," she smiled at him.

"I'm so happy you're alive. It's been a long time!" He flew towards her. "Why are you here though?" He asked and then his brow puckered. "Did you get pulled in by a Behelit too?"

"Oh wait! Before I forget, how's the Black Swordsman?" she asked him quickly. "I've heard so many rumors about him, they can't be all true."

"I think the majority would be though," Puck nodded. "He's great overall. If you see him now you'd be surprised at how much he's changed!"

"Is that so?" Theresia tapped her chin.

"Yes!" Puck was very excited. He wasn't alone anymore and he was happy because he finally got to see Theresia again after more than two years. On top of that, she was interested in hearing about Guts' well-being and Puck really wanted to talk to someone about him, so why not her? There was no one else around, so Puck thought he was rather lucky to have found someone he was acquainted with.

"Do you still hate him?" Puck asked. "Guts, I mean."

Theresia sighed and shook her head. "No, it seems I lack the ability to hold a grudge."

"He didn't do anything wrong though," Puck told her.

"Yes, I know that," Theresia said with a nod and wave of her hand. "I wasn't able to see the truth back then but I understand everything now."

Puck thought about the situation surrounding the young woman and Guts.

Theresia hadn't known the circumstances surrounding her mother's death and the truth about her father The Count. After discovering his wife partaking in a heretic orgy, The Count had gone mad and eventually used the Behelit Puck had nicknamed Becchi. He'd sacrificed his wife to the Godhand and became an apostle. But when Guts had come to the city, he'd uncovered the truth that Theresia's father was an apostle and in the end wounded him severely. The Count hadn't died by Guts' sword, he'd used the Behelit again to summon the Godhand and they'd wanted him to sacrifice his daughter. However, the Count had loved his daughter and decided to fade away to live eternity in hellish existence. Theresia had at first tried to kill herself but then turned around and threatened to kill Guts for ruining her life. Guts in his own twisted way had given her something to live for.

"He cried you know," Puck said.

"What?" Theresia's pretty face contorted into a confused frown.

"After you swore to kill him, when he walked away I saw his tears," Puck nodded. Guts probably wouldn't appreciate him spilling that information on him to her, but Puck thought it was best to clear the air and talk about what had happened so she could forgive Guts for being so harsh.

"I don't believe it," She said dumbfounded.

Puck grinned. "Well it's true!" He nodded turning into his chestnut form. "That really shocked me too! But that's when I decided to stay by him! I knew that there was something more to him than just a cruel, uncaring guy. I mean, he saved me from being tortured and killed by humans and I followed him about from then but when I saw that he wasn't just a monster, and that there was something really deep and complicated about him. I just had to stay beside him. He accepted me and we've been together ever since!"

Theresia remained silent. "So you're still with him?"

Puck's nod was big and emphatic. "I mean I'm not with him now but that's all Becchi's fault."

"Becchi?"

"That's what I call the Behelit Guts got from your father," Puck told her. "I don't know what happened but I fell asleep next to it and when I woke I was here."

"There must've been more to it than that," Theresia said. "What were you thinking before you fell asleep?"

Puck thought for a moment before un-chestnutting himself. The conversation had become serious. "I was thinking about how I could continue to help him," Puck said and then continued before she could speak. "He really is a changed man. He now has comrades who he cares about, in his own way. They really helped to shape him into who he is now. But there's this woman he's been caring for, her name's Casca. Something bad happened to her and she'd gone crazy but he protected her through thick and thin. She changed him the most. Every time he's with her, I see a new side of him. He's genuinely happy with her and that makes me happy but…" He trailed off.

"But what?" Theresia asked, her voice soft

Puck sighed, "But now I've been feeling like he doesn't need me anymore. I don't think I can be an asset to him because the comrades he's made are pretty strong too and the thing that I'm most good at, healing, can also be taken care of by three of them."

"I understand Puck," she walked toward him and held a palm out. "I too have felt so useless but I'm so glad to have met you again."

"I'm glad too," He flew and landed onto her welcoming palm, and with the other hand she gently rubbed her index finger against his soft blue hairy head. "But why are you in this place Theresia? I don't understand. I know this is the Interstice, the place where the Godhand is summoned. I remember it well, you should too. How are you here?"

She stared down at Puck for a long moment and then suddenly, she clasped her hand around him tightly.

Puck saw nightmares in her beautiful face and he tried to pry himself out of her hand but she was too strong, he couldn't get away.

"Theresia! What are you doing?"

She didn't respond at first just continued to crush him. "Elves are such foolish creatures," she said. "Most especially you, far too pure for your own good."

"Why are you doing this?" Water began to seep out of his eyes from the crushing pain.

"Because after so long, the vow I made will be kept. I will finally have my vengeance," she smirked and it was a horrific sight. She was so beautiful but her eyes had turned completely black and pupil-less. "That man ruined my life completely. So much so that in order to gain the power to destroy him, I gave up my soul to the Goddess of the Flame."

Puck could hardly breathe and his vision was beginning to spot and turn black. "What- what happened to you?"

"You needn't worry about me you pure, naïve creature," she gritted at him. "You're about to be tortured and sadly for you, the Black Swordsman cannot save you."

* * *

"If you think I'm going to give up on this Casca, think again," Guts said to himself, Casca asleep upon his chest. "When you wake in the morning, I'm keeping you far away from my cock so we can talk. You will not use that part of me to get what you want."

"I'm sure she'll be most disappointed in that," The Flowerstorm King's voice wafted gently on the breeze.

Guts grabbed the handle of his sword and pointed it swiftly in the direction of the voice. When the ethereal being appeared, the tip of his sword was right to her chest and Guts growled ferociously, territorially.

Holding her hands up, she said, "Now, now, no need for that,"

"Why are you here?" There was no way in hell he was taking another mystical creature lightly, Casca could've died because of his negligence. Just because elves were small and seemingly harmless didn't mean they didn't possess the power to harm or even kill a human.

"I merely want to explain the entirety of the event that happened between Casca and Ivalera tonight. I've got the full details."

"Oh really?" He didn't remove his sword or the look of pure hatred from his face. "Did she tell you the truth or was she the victim?"

The Flowerstorm King shook her head. "Neither. I didn't have to speak to her, I read the forbidden glyphs left behind by the barrier spell she'd used. So you can be assured I have the truth. Now do put your sword down, it's most intimidating,"

"It's supposed to be," he said, but he did move it away from her. His hand remained on the handle, ready. He could cut her in two in an instant if she tried anything.

"I'm not going to try a thing," with the click of her finger, a rock shot up from the earth and she sat before a naked Guts and sleeping Casca. "I shall update you on Schierke's Witching Time first."

"Go ahead," he did want to know if she was all right. He couldn't think about anyone but Casca when he'd been in Schierke's room and left to keep her safe. She was top priority to him.

"As you know, Witching Time is when a young witch around twelve or thirteen will grow in not only physical age, but power as well. It's a very painful process that is fatal in most cases. Pain reducing herbs and potions do not work as her body will repel and expel them. There are only two ways to deal with the pain so that a young witch can handle the transition, the first is handling the pain on her own through sheer will and the second is to lay with a male."

Guts' face contorted with disgust. "She's just a child."

"Indeed, but there are even younger children who end up in certain situations throughout all nations," The Flowerstorm King explained.

He knew what she meant. He was one of those children.

"Schierke didn't seem to be strong enough to handle that on her own," Guts was still frowning. "You provided her with a partner?"

"Indeed," The Flowerstorm King nodded. "She is much better now, the transition was a success for the both of them. Males usually die through the process but he was strong"

"That is good to hear I suppose," Guts didn't like it but once Schierke was okay, he supposed that was all that mattered.

"The little merrow girl Isma, Farnese and Serpico were all tended to. The latter two were nursing headaches and they don't remember what happened once they'd gotten to the water wheel"

Guts knew exactly what had happened. He'd fought them and knocked them out when he realized they were under some kind of spell. "That elven bitch made them attack me."

"Oh dear, might I ask you to refer to Ivelera by her name?"

He glared and she nodded with understanding. "They were just a distraction, meant to keep you busy."

Guts' hand tightened on his sword, "Keep me busy as she harmed and possibly killed Casca?"

"She meant to, as painlessly as she could, use mind control to send Casca to the other side of the island," The Flowerstorm King explained. "Her plan required Casca being out of the way."

Guts' brow raised. "And why is that?"

"Because Ivalera desired you to be the one to lay with Schierke,"

Guts remained silent but a look of disgust washed over his features. Painful memories of the time when he'd been held down and raped repeatedly through the night by Donavan flooded back to him.

"I should've killed that horrid bitch," He growled so deeply, Casca moved, nearly wakening. He put his hand to her hair and relaxed her. "How could she ever think I would do anything like that with Schierke?"

"Schierke's feelings for you are complex," The Flowerstorm king sighed.

Guts shook his head, brief images of the green haired girl on his shoulder came to him. "I don't understand. She doesn't have those kinds of feelings."

"Not the kind your Casca has for you, most certainly not," She nodded. "Her feelings are more admiration. Think along the lines of the boy Isidro's feelings towards you. Fatherly. I suppose."

Guts wasn't fond of the idea that they were looking up to him like that either, but it did relieve him that Schierke wasn't thinking about him intimately. That would've really concerned him because he would never feel that way for her. There was only one woman who had the power to make him feel that way. He glanced down at Casca, blissfully asleep upon his chest.

"Elves sometimes misinterpret human feelings," The flowerstorm king explained, "the confusion and misunderstanding increases if an elf has been subjected to a lot of pain which Ivalera had been experiencing. She'd taken in a lot of Schierke's pain and it made her momentarily lose her mind to use Forbidden Elven Techniques."

"Forbidden Elven Techniques?"

"There are seven of them, she used two," The King explained. "The two she used are very powerful, however not the most powerful. She chose to use the Forbidden Techniques: Astral Maiden and Mind Cracker in combination to lessen the negative effect upon Casca and make it as painless as possible."

"It didn't look painless," Gut's canines seemed to get even more pronounced as he spoke about the ordeal.

"Well, that's because Casca fought back," The Flowerstorm King smiled. "If Ivalera had just used the Mind Cracker, Casca's mind would have shattered. But using the Astral Maiden with Mind Cracker made it so the Maiden could get in easily and plant a suggestion to Casca to go wherever Ivalera wanted her to."

"You telling me this just makes me want to pluck her wings off and boil her alive," he grumbled.

"You miss the point brash swordsman," The King's smile remained serene. "Your Casca put up a fight. She was determined not to let the Astral Maiden break into the mind she'd finally gotten back."

Guts remained silent. He knew Casca was a strong woman, damn he loved her for being so tough, the perfect match for him. Which was why he protected her with everything that was him. He couldn't lose his everything.

"I think you'll understand what I'm about to say now," The Flowerstorm King began. "You have fought astral beings before: demons, ghouls, other mystical creatures, correct?"

He gave her a stiff nod. He'd killed countless numbers with his dragon slayer and yearned to kill even more.

"That sacrificial brand on your neck reacts every time you'd come up against those dark demonic beings am I right?" She didn't wait for his response. "Your brand didn't react to the Astral Maiden."

It hadn't. Before he could ask why, she answered for him. "It's because Ivalera is not of the Godhand. She's not an apostle. Her powers are pure."

"Pure my ass," Guts flared up again. "She tried to-"

"The Astral Maiden is a pure entity," She said. "Leagues above any apostle or astral being the Godhand can conjure up. That is because the Astral Maiden is not from the Interstice but a realm beyond."

"What does this have to do with anything?" he asked.

The Flower King exhaled but she didn't show her annoyance, "Your Casca battled with a Pure being from a realm that supersedes the Interstice and she won that battle."

He let that sink in for a moment. "Of course she did, she's a fighter and a strong woman. I expect no less from her."

The Flowerstorm King closed her eyes and looked skyward. "She did something no normal human can do. Her will to not have her mind be broken again was so strong, she weakened a pure being. If you hadn't shown up, I believe Ivalera would've been blown apart by the strain and the Astral Maiden would have been sent back to its realm."

"She was in pain,"

"Well creating even an impermeable mental barrier is not an easy task," she said. "Her will was so powerful it materialized into an impenetrable fortress around her mind and protecting that fortress is a Guardian. That Guardian is a combination of willpower, natural strength and essence of the Astral Maiden. Casca will not regress again for that Guardian will protect her. Her innocence resides in that castle and even in sleep the Guardian is fighting the demons in her memory. They will not enter that castle."

"So her mind is strong again," Guts simplified. "I don't have to be careful about bringing up that dark time now?" Not that he would, but he felt like he was walking on glass with her at times.

"Exactly," she said. "And to tie this back to the matter at hand, you will not agree I'm sure, at least, not right now, but Ivalera has helped you both. Not just by strengthening Casca's mind but also, you will see that your Dragon Slayer has gained quite the upgrade as well. Look at it."

The Flowerstorm King clapped her hands and lightning bugs gathered to shine brightly on his sword. Guts lifted his sword and carefully examined it, he didn't see anything at first and then shining clearly were strange symbols embossed onto the blade.

"What's this?" He ran his fingers along the symbol.

"A gift," The Flowerstorm King said, "from the Astral Maiden's god,"

Guts' face contorted distastefully. "I hate gifts," he said. "Especially from beings that call themselves 'gods'." A gift from a god was always a double edged sword, just like his sacrificial brand.

"I suppose I understand your stance but I am preparing a training area especially for you and you'd never be able to handle it without that particular gift."

Guts' head snapped to her as something mentally clicked. "You knew Casca would be attacked by Ivalera,"

"I knew Casca would win and that you would break through the astral barrier to get to her," The Flowerstorm King told him and then stood up. "Guts sometimes things happen for a reason. This is one of those times," she said. "You may not like it, but there is such a thing as fate. Balance is important in all things. Do you honestly think with all the evil in this world there is no such thing as good to balance out the idea of evil?"

"I actually don't give a flying fuck about that," he shrugged. "I only care about myself, Casca and the comrades I make and lose along with way. I struggle because it's all I know how to do. I will destroy the apostles, the Godhand and Griffith most of all. After that, if Casca and I happen to be alive even after all that shit, then I'd gladly settle down with her if she still wants me, but until then, I will continue to fight for what I believe in."

"And what do you believe in?" She asked.

"Vengeance and using the power I have to exact it," he yawned. "You finish yet? The sun's going to be up soon and I haven't gotten any sleep."

"Almost," she said. "Your Casca is in a delicate position right now. You will need to anchor her as she will feel adrift in this world where astral beings are becoming the norm. A warrior can feel very useless when the sword she knows no longer works."

"You needn't worry about Casca," he looked down at the sleeping woman. He knew exactly why she didn't want to talk about what had happened with Ivalera. He didn't expect her to be able to handle herself as effectively as she'd once been able too. No, she still had a lot of training to undergo, so of course, she'd feel weak. But he'd wanted to reassure her that she wasn't the weakling she thought herself. The more she trained the stronger she'd see she truly was and the more confidence she'd gain. She had a magnificent rage that could be converted into strength. Tomorrow he'd pep-talk her and build her up. It had to be rough going up against a creature she couldn't physically kill.

"Another thing," The Flowerstorm king continued, "Your training begins tomorrow, prepare your mind for it."

His brow furrowed. "What do you-"

"I'll explain that tomorrow, just be prepared to take a walk down memory lane," she said. "And lastly, about Puck."

"Do you know where he is?" Guts asked quickly, concerned instantly. "He's never been gone for this long."

"I'm afraid I cannot sense him in Elfhelm," she said.

"He left?"

The Flowerstorm king shook her head. "I would've felt him leave the barrier. But what I understand from Sir Serpico is that he was last seen with the grey Behelit."

Gut's eye widened. "Then he must've somehow been transported to the Interstice. The Godhand has him. Where's the Behelit?"

"Unfortunately it is lost," The Flowerking told him. "In the morning I will make a clean sweep of Elfhelm to locate the fetish. That shouldn't be too difficult."

"No, I need it tonight," sleep became the last thing on his mind. "I have to bring Puck back." The little blue haired elf had stuck with him during his darkest times, healed him when he'd been injured, kept him from going completely insane or down a path he couldn't return from. He owed so much to that little creature.

The Flowerstorm King took him in. "You need to rest Swordsman," she said.

"But Puck-"

She raised her hand and out came a shower of dust into his face. It might've been a bit too much but for someone as strong as Guts, she wasn't taking any chances.

He began to cough as it went into him, picking up his sword he nearly sliced her but she was able to stop the blade with her hand. "Rest Swordsman and leave the locating of Puck to me. He is an elf of Elfhelm and so the rules of the Godhand and sacrifice do not apply to him. That doesn't make him safe from injury but they won't kill him."

"Damn you…I- I have to- Puck-" Guts tried to speak but his fatigue caught up to him and he drifted off to sleep.

The Flowerstorm King sighed, clapped her hands and constructed a warm, leafy blanket for the Branded Swordsman and female warrior. They had a big day ahead of them and as much as the Flowerstorm King wanted to rest herself, there was a bit more that she would have to do.

Walking to the river, The Flowerstorm King bent, put her hand in and picked up the Behelit that thought it could hide from her.

"Found you," She said analyzing the grey Behelit and then moving from the river, she walked back to Casca and Guts. "My apologies dear Casca." The Flower King whispered before twining a thin vine onto the Behelit to form a necklace and then with a click of her fingers the vine tied itself around Casca's neck and settled the Behelit to her breasts. "Man cannot run from his fate, you cannot hide for destiny calls. You cannot build walls or castles to protect yourself. You must fight, for this world is dark and full of terrors,"

The Flowerstorm King headed into the forest. "Those slugworms," she whispered as she thought back to when she'd been in her library researching Witching Time. She would've arrived at Schierke's room before Guts had but fate had stepped in and she'd had to answer a mysterious call.

* * *

From the top most area of the barrier, she heard a tapping sound. Curious, she vanished from the library to fly up to the barrier way up to the clouds. Once there, she'd been shocked to see the oldest member of the Godhand, Void and the only female of the Godhand, Slan. Clouds formed her voluptuous body and wild snake-like hair.

"Leaves. How typical," Slan smirked. "Such nice breasts you have too. What a waste." Slan crossed her arms beneath her exposed breasts. Her nipples were in a constant state of arousal.

"Godhand," The Flowerstorm King said.

"The male sacrifice is here isn't he?" Slan inquired trying to see through the barrier. "I admit I miss seeing his tormented face."

The King remained impassive before her middle and index finger went to her temple to send out a mental alert to her hidden warriors. Just because Elfhelm was peaceful, didn't mean she could allow her army to be lax. They were ready for war if they needed to be.

"There's no need for that," Void raised his bony, six fingered hand. "Slan control yourself,"

"Yes, yes," she sighed and waved nonchalantly. "We come in peace,"

"What do you want?"

Void turned his attention back to the Flowerstorm King. "We come with an offer."

* * *

Reappearing at the top of the barrier, the Flowerstorm King waited with three of her strongest warriors who she met waiting there for her, were on guard and prepared for the worst. The exchange that was about to happen could be devastating. The Elfhelm Barrier needed to be opened for it to happen and evil, if it wanted to, would waste no opportunity to slip in.

The sky in the human world was dark and it was now raining. The Flowerstorm King didn't have to wait long, because Slan materialized this time as the rain, nipples still exposed and hard even though she was water.

"Where is Godhand Void?" The Flowerstorm King inquired.

"He had other more important matters to deal with," Slan smiled. Her smile was watery but beautiful. "It's merely an exchange. Once you've done as requested you'll get what we offered."

"I've done as asked," The Flowerstorm King said and then held out her hand. "Now give me his wings."

"I want to see proof," Slan said and when the King glared, she shrugged. "It's business."

Snapping her finger, a mirror appeared and in the mirror showed the Behelit around Casca's neck. "Sacred vine. No human can break it," The Flowerstorm king informed her. "It will snap once the Behelit awakens."

"Perfect," Slan smirked and waved her hand. A tiny jar appeared with Puck's bloodied wings in them.

Tears came to the Flowerstorm king's eyes. "I too make a business request," she said. "I want to see him."

"Fine," Suddenly Slan's chest turned into a seeing portal and the King was able to see Puck in a jar, wings detached and bleeding. But the elf's blue eyes still had life in them. He hadn't given up yet. "He will not die. His wounds have already healed." The portal closed.

"As promised," Slan held out the jar. "Here's our end of the bargain. Now open up if you want it."

The Flowerstorm King stared at Slan and knew instinctively that she was up to no good. So she went closer to the barrier instead and put her hand through it.

Slan stared at the hand and then at the King. Her hand was beginning to burn where the barrier was sealed around it. The King's warriors said nothing, just remained prepared for anything.

"You're distrust distresses me," Slan said. "Just because I yearn to strip you naked, beat you bloody and then eat you out as your people conduct a massive blood orgy in honor of me doesn't mean I'm going to act on that feeling." The Goddess of the Flame replied.

"You should be honored that I'm taking you so seriously," The king told her with the strongest tone she possessed. "Give me the wings."

"You straight-laced types irritate me," Slan put the little jar into the King's hand and as the King began to pull her bloodied forearm back through the barrier, Slan grabbed her wrist tightly and pulled so hard, The King's upper body came through the barrier.

The King's Servants grabbed her bottom half and pulled, but Slan was strong. Slan had the King's wrists in one hand above her head and her upper body pressed up against the barrier, burning her back, making her scream.

"That's right, scream for me!" Slan moaned and then grabbed the front of the King's leafy dress ripped it off exposing her breasts. "So beautiful," she said before leaning down to suck hard on the King's right nipple.

The guards were still trying to pull their ruler back through the barrier and their weapons couldn't pierce through the shield either. The Flowerstorm King was stuck until Slan was finished.

Slan didn't finish until both of the King's breasts were bleeding from the bitemarks, her back dripping in blood from the barrier burning into her skin and the King's wrists marked where Slan had gripped them. The little jar was still in the King's grip and her eyes burned with fury.

Her warriors pulled her back in and began to fret over her but she silenced them all with a flurry of wind as she glared at Slan, her own breasts exposed and hardened. She was bloodied and involuntarily aroused.

"I can feel your anger, innocent one," Slan licked the blood on her lips. "But I also smell your passion."

"You've made enemies with the wrong astral being, Godhand Slan," The Flowerstorm King said. "I will personally see that your Sacrifices destroy you."

Slan let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh I hope so," she said. "I yearn to feel Guts' sword running through me."

"You vile creature,'"

Slan shrugged unbothered, "Everyone's a little vile. You're no exception." She said. "You will think of me Flowerstorm as your juices coat your fingers. And I will think of you as well because just the thought of fucking all the innocence out of you excites me."

And then Slan vanished, leaving the King enraged. Her three warriors knew not what to say.

"You don't have to say a thing," The King said wrapping herself up in a leafy robe. "The exchange has gone through. Tomorrow prepare for our training to increase three fold in intensity. Now leave."

But they didn't. Instead, they stood before her and pulled out little blades they were all given. She watched as they, all cut a line from shoulder to shoulder, bleeding for her, bleeding because they'd been useless against Godhand Slan. They couldn't do anything.

"My King, we have shamed you." they said before getting on one knee and holding their heads down as their blood dripped down through the sky. "We are useless and do not deserve to be your guard."

"Lift your heads. I believe we all were useless in this instance," The King said. "I am not a god and so I stand little chance against those beings. Which is why I intend to back the Branded Swordsman and his woman for they faced that demonic ritual, the Eclipse, and survived. With training they can kill gods. All we can do is be of help to them on their journey to grow in strength. That is how we assuage the feelings of uselessness that assail us. That is all we can do. Now leave and do not allow your weakness in the face of such insurmountable greatness distress you and distract you from your purpose, for I vow it, the Godhand will pay for what they have done."

Then the Fairystorm King vanished. She reappeared in her private chambers, blood dripping onto the floor. Tears began to pour from her face as she put the little jar with Puck's wings onto her nightstand. Then she ripped her covering off. Slan had defiled her.

The King went to her bath and found it ready for her, heated and filled with her favorite floral essence. She stepped into the bath and began to scrub and wash her skin but she felt so defiled that she began to tear at her skin and the water pooled red. The flower petals stained with blood.

Shaking, The King curled up and cried. She stayed in the water for a while longer, before getting up, feeling just out of it and unable to think about doing anything like emptying the bathwater or even drying off. She just went into her bedroom and as she lay, she tossed and turned in the bed unable to sleep. Her core throbbing embarrassingly aroused. She could still feel Slan's watery lips sucking on her nipples.

She bit into her lip and began to cry as she finally gave in. It was almost dawn. The King reached down between her legs and touched herself until her body shook and released. All the while she had thought about Slan, her fingers coating with her creamy fluid.

The King curled up and cried herself asleep, ashamed of herself and her weakness.

And as the King slept unknowingly, in the bloodied bathwater, Slan materialized.

The King fell straight to sleep, exhausted mentally and emotionally and didn't even know that Slan was there. In her current state, she wasn't strong enough to kill the King even asleep, but she was strong enough to venture out and find the man she yearned to see.

The branded male sacrifice, Guts.

And if his warrior female was there, the other living branded sacrifice, Casca, well the warrior was weak, easily breakable and wouldn't stand a chance against Slan, even if Slan was just a blood puppet.

* * *

And that's this chapter. As I said, I'll be on a tiny break but I hope to be back as soon as possible. Please leave reviews and comments. I see the stats so I know a number of people are reading this fic, I just have no idea if you guys are still enjoying it.

So until I post again, hopefully really soon, keep struggling!


	8. Note

Ha! You thought it was the next chapter! But no! It's just a request! (Is that a Jojo's reference?)

LOL. Hey guys! I've missed you! I haven't been able to get my mind off of this story in the past few days, so I've been writing my hands off in the wee hours of the night.

I'll soon post again, so send me some love and I promise to give you two chapters back to back! Trust me, you want the chapters I've written so far!

So let's see if I can get at least 10 reviews (from 10 different readers)! No spamming please.

\- You can tell me what you like and/or hate about the story

\- Theories about where I'll take the story

\- Or just some constructive criticism!

Let's be active here! I want to interact with you guys and I can't do that if you don't review! So let's get the ball of causality rolling here! I want to feed off your energy and use it to become a better writer.

I'll post again soon but until then please review and keep struggling!


	9. Chapter 8: Paper Kingdom

Hey guys,

I'm back! I'm sure you read my note about when I'd post, but first I'd like to thank an anonymous reviewer for all the encouraging words.

I went on hiatus because I was beginning to second guess my ideas and I wasn't really sure if people reading are really into it, but after this reviewer PM'd me I decided to just inhale deeply and post a few chapters.

I will try to not get discouraged. It is a struggle because I haven't written a story in so long and I'm not too sure about myself. Anyway, I've written 7 chapters so here are two chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership belongs to Kentarou Miura.

 **Berserk:**

 **Chapter 8: Paper Kingdom**

Puck lay on the white platform, bleeding as Theresia laughed maniacally. Vision blurry, he saw her as a demon. Life must've been very horrible to have changed her into the beautifully ugly creature he saw her as.

He should've been angry, honestly he should've but as he looked at her, spots forming before his eyes, all he could feel was sadness. Her pain, deep inner pain, was seeping into him. What a foolish elf he was, to feel so hurt for her and care not about his own pains.

As he began to fade into unconsciousness, he heard Theresia gasp and then feet scurrying away. Something had scared her off.

Opening his eyes again, he saw someone dressed in all white. He couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman but whoever it was, whatever it was, it was beautiful and emanated warmth. The being bent down and carefully, gently, as if handling a broken bird, picked him up and carried him away.

* * *

Griffith's long finger rubbed the soft blue hair that adorned the head of the unconscious wingless elf. He'd come upon the creature in the Interstice where Femto, his demonic side preferred to stay. He'd entered the Interstice ready to shed his pure white persona when he'd sensed deep pain and sadness, it called to him.

And after going through one doorway then another, he'd found the broken little creature, bleeding out on the floor, wings ripped from its back brutally. He'd sensed the creature's tormentor nearby, turned his head and his hawk-like eyes caught the fearful eyes of Slan's servant. She'd scurried off but he knew she'd stay near.

Griffith had taken the elven creature to his quarters, a minimalistic room decked out in white, silver and gold. There were windows with picturesque sights of the human world and most of all his kingdom, Falconia. He could jump out the window, shape himself into the Hawk of Light and fly the skies above his land whenever he needed to return and continue his ruse as the pure white savior of Midland.

He was seated with the creature on his favorite window and with a healing finger, he had sealed the elf's wounds and took away its pain. He was now seated, gently, so gently rubbing its soft hair. His heart ached because the creature was so similar to what he had once been.

"Waken little one," his voice barely above a whisper. "I wish to speak to you, so rise."

It took mere seconds for the elf to stir and open its eyes. Shocked, the elf scooted back and fell out of Griffth's hand but Griffith caught it easily and carefully.

"Be calm little one, I will not hurt you," he said.

The elf looked frantically around him, then his eyes focused on Griffith. He knew who this was, his blue eyes widened and he tried to escape but as he fell again from Griffith's palm, he was caught again.

"Only winged creatures can fly," he said.

That's when the elf realized, his wings were gone. He reached behind him to where his wings should've been but they weren't there.

They weren't there.

Big, fat painful tears rushed to his eyes and spilled down his face. The sight put an ache into Griffith's chest.

"Do not cry little one," he used his hand to rub where his heart was, where the ache was.

But the creature just continued to shake and sob.

"Do you want me to kill the girl?" Griffith asked him, rubbing even harder into his chest, so hard the white of his clothing was being stained with blood. The elf's emotions were painful to him, he wanted it to stop. "I can kill her for what she's done to you," he said.

The creature sniffled and looked into the blue-blue eyes of the man. In them, the creature saw the darkness hidden so close beneath the surface. He began to shake for a different reason.

* * *

As Puck stared into the eyes of Griffith, the former leader of the Band of the Hawk, the man who'd sacrificed Guts, Casca and the entire mercenary band for his dreams, he realized he was in even more danger than he was with Theresia.

"You know who I am," Griffith said to him.

Puck took a deep steady breath and knew he had to play his cards close to his chest. "Yeah," he wiped his wet face. "You remember me, don'tcha?"

Griffith angled his head in question, just like a bird. "Should I?"

"You're Femto, right?" Puck asked. "You look different but you're eyes are the same."

"Ah," Griffith nodded. "I recall. Though our meeting was a while back and very brief. You are Guts' companion."

Puck's eyes went red and he glared at the man. Standing on Griffith's palm he pointed viciously. "Don't you say his name!"

Griffith, taken aback a bit by the creature's tone and the menace in his eyes, he nodded. "I suppose you would feel that I do not deserve to call the name of your companion."

"You don't," Puck said pointblank period.

"You might be right about that," Griffith agreed. "But do not be so angry with me little one, you will most likely not agree due to your bias, but your companion chose to follow me. He said I could do whatever I wanted with him. I called him mine and he accepted. I do what I want with what is mine."

"You're disgusting," Puck spat on his hand.

Griffith merely smiled, "All humans are disgusting."

Puck crossed his arms and looked out the window. Griffith could crush him dead if he wanted, but it was obvious the man, the thing, the it, didn't want to. "What will you do with me?"

"Do with you?" Griffith gazed out the window as well.

"Kill me? Torture me then kill me? Keep me as a pet? Ransom me back to Guts?" Puck asked.

"No," Griffith shook his head. "Merely talk with you."

Puck turned his head to the man. "You had people to talk to, but you killed them. Now you wanna speak with strangers?"

Griffith craned his head a little, he was just so bird-like. "Not strangers, just you, little one."

"Don't call me that," Puck could've stomped his foot, he merely balled his hands into fists, annoyed and frustrated.

"Then what may I call you?" He asked.

"Nothing," Puck said. "You don't deserve to know even my name."

"I thought elves were empathetic," Griffith said.

Empathy was a big trait for most elves, not all. Some elves, like Puck, had even higher levels of empathy and a stronger touch with humanity.

"We are," Puck shrugged and remained silent.

"You are," Griffith said. "I felt it within you. Even when your wings were torn off you didn't hate your tormentor. You felt sorry for her."

"I knew her," Puck said. "I don't know you."

"I see," Griffith then lifted the creature and rested him onto his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Showing you my dream. Hold on tight."

"No matter what you show me-" Before Puck could finish, Griffith jumped out of the window, transformed into his birdlike form and soared over Falconia. Puck held on, because there was nothing else he could do. He had no wings and if he fell, he would surely die.

"I will not allow you to die," Griffith's voice sounded gently in his head.

"Get out of my head," Puck gritted out.

"In just a moment," Griffith flew to the topmost tower of his castle and then transformed back into his human form, unclothed, hair blowing in the wind, Puck on his bare shoulder. "This is my dream."

Puck moved from Griffith and sat on the head of a falcon statue then looked out at the sheer magnificence of Falconia. Everything was immaculate and grand. People milled about happily, laughing, children were playing and running around. Food, clean air, shelter and protection, everything humans required to live a happy, healthy life could be found there. And there were so many, many people.

"There was a rent in the world, a tear that brought disaster to this world. Astral creatures, like you but worse invaded this world from their plane of existence. Killing and raping as they saw fit. One cannot blame them for they are beings who also want to live and carouse just like humans. But this human world is for humans and as such those creatures, those demons must be put in check. I have created a utopia, a place for humans to stay and live safely. I intend to expand my reach from land to land, pushing back against the creatures that would eventually cause the extinction of the human race."

Puck shook his head.

"Before I came, this world was being overridden by plagues, disease and disaster. Ganishka a horrible man who pillaged the land and used women to spawn demons from their wombs- I was the one who dealt mercilessly with him, I destroyed him and created Falconia. A place where humans can be free to spread their wings and fly."

Puck gazed at Griffith, he could see the good that he had done. "Amazing. But what else?" Puck waved at the beautiful land. He'd said it himself, humans are disgusting. Puck was certain murders and raping still went on here. How did he deal with that? "Where's the dark side of this place?"

Griffith put a hand to his chin, "You're quite perceptive aren't you?"

"I've seen a lot of things," Puck said, with Guts he'd seen a lot more than he first thought he would. There could be no good without evil, no light without dark.

Griffith stood and held out his hand to Puck. Puck walked onto his palm and Griffith jumped off the building, transforming again but headed back to the window covered by clouds. Griffith landed and transformed back to his human form.

"There is an underbelly," Griffith said to Puck as he sat back down on his perch. "Every kingdom has it, but I leave that world separate from the world humans here see. They've already seen and experienced so much that I prefer they don't see any more than they have to."

"Lies then, gotcha" Puck shook his head.

He knew what Griffith was doing and it disgusted him even more. He was making the people believe that everything was good and right with the world they now lived in. He was deceiving them knowingly. His dream was built upon the deaths of his comrades, the blood of his band, his lies and deception. His kingdom was nothing but pretty paper- a paper kingdom- flimsy and all planned out. But this utopia had no real substance, it didn't really exist and when the rain falls upon the land, that paper will be ruined and soon the humans would all realize that everything he built was just a fantasy.

"Is it so bad that I want to be a light in this dark world?"

Puck was certain Griffith didn't just want to be a light, but the light. The man was ambitious to a fault. Why stop at a little kingdom? Why be a king? Why be a godhand? Why not just be god? One god to rule them all?

Puck's stomach began to turn. He did not like this place or the company. He wanted to return to Guts and the others. He'd left to find purpose… wait, he'd left to find purpose, a way to be an asset, a way to help Guts.

His eyes locked on Griffith's beautifully handsome face and his heart began to pound in his chest. He couldn't kill him. No, he definitely couldn't kill this man, this thing that was once man, but maybe… maybe he could find out more about him.

Puck put his hands behind his back and turned his attention back to the window at the birds flying about. "I feel sorry for the humans you look down upon,"

"I do not understand," He said. "I look down upon them because I was destined to soar above them. Thrust into the human world I learnt what it meant to struggle and to suffer. I understand what they go through and wish to make life better."

"Better for how long?" Puck turned to Griffith. "If you could so easily sacrifice-"

"It wasn't easy," Griffith cut him off. "A lot happened to get me to that point."

Puck sat down on the window seat, arms crossed and patiently waiting for an explanation. Surely Griffith would give him something that Guts could use against him in a fight. He'd have to think about his return to Guts afterwards though.

Griffith held out his index finger. "Here are the highlights of my human existence,"

Puck looked at it and then reached out with his hand and in his mind he saw Griffith as a poor, young boy running through a slum towards a castle, being given the Behelit, starting the Band of the Hawk, rescuing Casca, the little boy who wanted to be a knight dead on the battlefield, sleeping with a rotund nobleman with a fetish for young, pretty boys, gaining notoriety on the battlefield, meeting Guts and bringing him into the band, the friendship between him and Guts, the trust built between them, the fight with Zodd… the memories just kept pouring in, so many good times.

Tears began to fall from Puck's eyes for what he saw was beautiful but also twisted. The planning of Count Julius' assassination, the fake smiles to Princess Charlotte, the hawk-like look given to Foss and the subsequent brutal burning of the queen and her subordinates who'd tried to kill him, then the slaying of that disgusting nobleman from before, the Knighthood and being raised to the peerage…

But then things went bleak. Casca coming to him, telling him Guts was leaving. His heart shattering at the thought. The fight that lasted but seconds between them, Guts being the winner and walking away without turning back. The deep and utter desolation, the sadness Griffith felt, the painful weakness within growing, the need to be in control over something, over someone. The taking of Princess Charlotte's virginity.

Puck wanted to release from the memories but found he couldn't move. Griffith was going to keep him locked in until he saw it all. So Puck took a deep, shaky breath as Griffith was captured and then tortured. It went on for so long, Puck felt he was going to be sick, Puck felt as if Griffith had slowed down those memories of torture how endless it seemed. The tearing of his skin, dismemberment, branding, hot needles, bludgeoning, whipping, locked in a spiked iron maiden and so much more.

The only thing that anchored Griffith was his thoughts of Guts. There were so many emotions he felt- so much love, so much hate, sadness and joy, everything blending into one complex amalgamation of feelings.

By the time the torture had ended, Puck really had become sick and was beginning to retch from the pain. Broken, Puck began to see what Griffith had seen, the demons coming from the wall calling him Prince, visions that looked like hallucinations of four other mysterious beings who he knew were the other members of the Godhand calling to him. Then his vision cleared and Guts was standing there in the white light, like a savior, rescuing him.

But Puck could tell that Griffith's mind had been completely warped and as he lay immobile on a sheet in a carriage, he saw Guts and Casca together. Casca coming to help him with his bandages, him falling atop her, yearning for power but ultimately just being pitied by her. Then when she'd gone, heard her crying and saying how weak he was, how fragile he was, how he couldn't do anything. And Guts had said he'd stay.

But then Casca had spoke about dreams and he'd recalled what he'd told Charlotte the night he'd had Guts assassinate Julius. And he realized the truth about why Guts had left in the first place. The mention of dreams, reminded him of his own dream and soon he was commandeering the horse and carriage down to a river, hitting a rock, flying out the carriage into the river, breaking his arm, laughing madly, trying to kill himself and failing at that. Being so tired of failing.

Finding the Crimson Behelit that had been taken from him and thrown into a gutter, awakening the Behelit, hearing the screams of his comrades, seeing Guts struggling to come to him, hearing the words of the Godhand, realizing that Guts was the only one to make him forget his dream and then saying 'I sacrifice'.

Puck's hand released from Griffith's finger, stumbling back, he clutched his stomach in pain, spasming as his body went into emotional overload. It seemed to take forever for the pain to go away and when Puck, harshly breathing, finally got back some semblance of sanity, he stared at Griffith.

"Do you understand? At least a little?" He asked.

Puck's throat felt bitter and dry. "What does it matter if I understand you or not? What comes from my understanding of you?"

Griffith's hand went to the bloody spot on his chest, where his heart lay. "I do not know, but ever since I gained this flesh, I have felt the need to converse and explain myself but not just to anyone but to someone like you."

"What about you as Femto?" Puck asked. "Just like the underbelly of your fantasia you don't want me to see that dark side of you."

"I only wanted you to see what brought me to make the decision I did. Can you tell me that if you were in my position you wouldn't have done the same?"

"I wouldn't."

Griffith smirked then and reaching out, he grabbed Puck into his hand. "How about we test that?"

"Let me go!" Puck tried to struggle but his efforts were fruitless.

Puck screamed in pain as the man who saved him from torture now tortured him. But that was to be expected. Because this was the same man who saved Casca from being raped and in the end had raped her into insanity. The screams continued as Griffith inserted something into Puck's back. He didn't know what it was but he felt it take root inside of him and the pain became so intense he blacked out.

* * *

She had to get out of there. After seeing the absolute rage Guts had displayed against Ivalera, Isma knew there was no way she could stay, especially not after losing the Behelit. And even though Isidro said he'd take the blame, and even though the Flowerstorm King had assured her the Behelit wasn't lost, Isma was not taking any chances.

She'd felt a dark beast within Guts and it had scared her to her core. If she stayed, she was certain her blue hair would go white with fear and she'd lose her mind. Isma didn't even really feel she had much of a purpose with the group. She'd just tagged along because everyone on her island had been turned into monsters and thus destroyed by Guts and his group.

Isma had managed to find her mother and also gain her merrow powers. So she should go back, she decided. She wouldn't be missed. They would move on without her and she was fine with that. She didn't like just up and leaving out of the blue, but under the cover of night, when Guts was gone and everyone was asleep, it was the best time.

It was no hardship for Isma to sneak out of the room she'd been assigned with Farnese and Casca but the two women weren't there, so Isma was alone. It took no time leaving the spirit tree and heading through the forest. It was a good thing she and Isidro had been together searching the island for Puck, because she knew the best route to take to get out of there.

She headed in the opposite direction of the waterfall and went straight to the river that would lead her pass the barrier and out to sea eventually. Isma didn't look back as she jumped into the water and her legs transformed into a powerful fish tail. Then she swam off, her tears mixing into the water.

"I'm sorry Isidro and everyone else," she wiped her eyes. She had to get out of there.

* * *

That's it for this one!

Thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 9: Attack at the Waterfall

Hey guys!

This is the next chapter as promised!

Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership belongs to Kentarou Miura.

 **Berserk:**

 **Chapter 9: Attack at the Waterfall**

Casca's eyes opened slowly, what she saw was Gut's hard chest, a comforting sight. She smiled softly. Her plan had worked and Guts, luckily was still sleeping, she could sneak away too think about what she'd tell him.

Her smile withered. He probably wouldn't like the decision she was leaning towards but… she looked up at his sleeping face and saw a powdery substance on it, curious, she rubbed a finger along his scarred cheek and some of the white powder came off, she analyzed it quickly but couldn't tell what it was.

Sitting up, she realized there was an object around her neck. Picking it up, her stomach sank, it was the Behelit.

"How the hell-" She tried to pull it off but it wouldn't snap off. After a while, Casca realize that the Behelit would not come off, so she left it, because what else could she do? She didn't want to wake Guts up yet.

Then Casca saw that they were under a soft green mossy blanket. "Where'd this come from too?" She wondered before pulling it from them to look at it. "Flowerstorm King maybe?" she wondered and didn't like the thought of someone, even the King, coming up to them and they didn't know. But perhaps Guts knew? Or maybe he'd gotten it for them? Maybe the King had put the Behelit on her for safe keeping? But why not give it to Guts? And why make it so the strange object wouldn't come off of her?

She had a sinking feeling about the thing but she'd ask Guts, not yet though. She wanted to get that powder off his face first, maybe take a long dip in the waterfall and then perhaps she'd wake him up with a little surprise.

Her stomach growled reminding her that they hadn't eaten anything last night. But being hungry wasn't new to her so she ignored the call for food. She was wrapped in his big shirt and hers was between his legs covering him.

She smirked and pulled her shirt from his body and saw all of him. With him asleep, she could look to her contentment. He wasn't absurdly long, but a grand length nonetheless and it was his thickness that spoke volumes. Her body tingled and she remembered the first time they'd lain together. He'd been so rough with her but she understood why after he told her all about his horrid father figure Gambino. Casca didn't want to think about that bastard who sold a very young Guts for one night with a hulking ugly ogre named Donavan, if she recalled the name correctly. She didn't care.

His cock was magnificent, even flaccid, her mouth watered a little. He'd tasted so good last night… she wanted to suck on him until he woke. She wanted him looking down at her as she swallowed him whole and made his entire body shake with release.

Licking her lips, she nearly bent to start her surprise but caught herself. She needed to wash first because Guts would want to reciprocate and she really didn't like the idea of smelling like she needed to wash. Even she was a woman who prided herself on being clean for her man.

But first she wanted to get the powder off of his face. So, taking her shirt, she quickly and carefully dislodged from his side and frowned when he didn't even move to hold her to him… he usually did. Instead, he remained out like a light.

He was exhausted, she told herself, that's why he didn't stir. But something felt off. He was breathing properly and his body was warm so she knew he wasn't dead. Quickly she went to the water and dipped her shirt in to dampen it. As she wrung it out, she allowed herself to listen to the sounds around them. She wasn't nearly as good as Guts when it came to sensing things but she didn't hear anything.

Thus it was her surprise when she stood up, turned and found herself closed in by astral monsters. Gasping in shock, her eyes went to her sword and she dove for it, rolling, she got up just in time to slice through her first attacker.

But her sword just went through it, bisecting it. The creature pulled itself back together and Casca knew she was fucked. She couldn't fight these beings.

"Guts!" She shouted as she continued to slice through to no avail. "Guts!"

He wasn't waking up from her shouting. Her heart pounded. Guts was always hyperaware of what was going on around him. She'd known something was wrong. She should've tried to wake him up.

Casca quickly sliced again and then began to make her way from the waterfall. If Guts wouldn't wake up from her shouts, she'd have to shake him, or knock him upside the head. Maybe that powder substance is what caused him to stay asleep as hard as he was.

It made sense so Casca jumped through the air, calling on her years of experience and training. The beings were able to cut her somehow so they had to have some kind of physical attribute to them. They weren't ghosts.

Casca, upside down in the air, spun in a circle slicing, landing on her feet, closer to Guts. There were demon creatures surrounding him.

"Guts!" Casca didn't care about herself in that moment. She charged forward, if Guts had been knocked unconscious by that powdered substance then it would be up to her to protect him, as he had for her so many times.

The demons continued slicing her as she moved forward, she gasped in pain as slice, after slice went through her, but she needed to reach him. She had to protect him. She fought harder, her body remembering moves she'd trained so hard to learn. There were no end to the demons and the more she cut, the more seemed to appear.

Casca stumbled as a demon cut into the back of her knee. She turned and sliced its head off. Then she got back up, gasping, completely surrounded she began to be bombarded on all sides by the demons. But she didn't take her sights off of Guts, her Guts.

And then Casca's brand began to bleed, pain throbbed in her breast as another being appeared. In the shape of a beautiful naked female with wild hair made of blood red substance, the demons stopped their attacking to watch her.

"Who the hell are you?" Casca shouted pointing her sword in the female's direction.

But the female didn't respond, she didn't even deign to look at Casca. Her eyes were locked on Guts' sleeping, naked, defenseless form.

"Oh my, what a wondrous surprise" the female's voice was breathy as she moved towards Guts.

"Stay away from him!" Casca tried to move forward but the demons surrounding her had suddenly began to take on a hardness she couldn't cut through. She was surrounded by a barrier of demons she realized. "No!" She began to cut at the wall of demons but to no avail. "Guts!" She screamed.

"What a lovely sight," The female reached Guts.

Casca screamed, enraged. "Don't you dare touch him!"

The female laughed and began to fondle Guts everywhere, all over his chest, legs, arms and cock. She especially focused on his cock and when her eyes turned to Casca, Casca knew the woman was doing it as a show for Casca to watch.

"You fucking bitch!" Casca's attack on the barrier intensified until finally she managed to break through. She was running for the woman, ready to slice that bitch's head off when, something caught her ankle, spraining it, and she went down.

Pain shot through Casca, but all her eyes could see was Guts. Guts had never been so defenseless. "You- you did this to him! He won't wake up because of you!"

The female looked at Casca fully then, "I did nothing of the sort. This powder on his face… Nocturnous Pollenous," she said. "A very rare and powerful sleeping powder, there aren't many who have access to this kind of powder. I'd say the ruler of this land is the one who put him to sleep and also attached that Behelit" The female pointed at the object between Casca's naked breasts.

Through her intense fighting, Casca didn't realize that Guts' shirt she'd been wearing had been torn into tatters, exposing her. She tore the fabric off her body as it was a mere rag now.

The female purred at the sight of Casca, "Very beautiful,"

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is Slan," she introduced. "I'm the fourth member of the Godhand."

Godhand, Casca's eyes widened and then darkened as she remembered Guts talking about them. She hadn't gotten all the details but she knew that this woman was one of Griffith's new comrades.

"As to why I am here," Slan said, "It's obvious isn't it?" She sat between Guts' thighs, laying against him. "I came to see this man."

"Get off of him," Casca turned and sliced the demon that had caught her ankle and then struggled to her feet, pain shooting like lightning through her body, but she couldn't think of that pain. Not with a Godhand present and so close to Guts.

"Why?" Slan asked. "He makes a most wonderful chair, so big and comfortable. No wonder you like sitting on him."

Casca's eyes saw red and she moved forward but then Slan threw her hand out, blowing Casca away a feet or two. Casca landed on her knees, clutching her stomach where the blow had landed.

"I am here to torment you, beloved sacrifice," Slan informed her. "It's a shame he's not awake and I cannot wake him due to this lesser form I have taken on, but I suppose watching your horror, anger and pain as I have my way with him will be enough."

"Leave him alone!"

"Make me," Slan cackled as she took Gut's face and rubbed it against her massive breasts.

Casca got up again but found she was back to square one but in an even worse position. Her ankle throbbed but she ignored it. Striving forward, naked, bloody and panting, Casca swung her sword again. She made it back to where she'd been before Slan had attacked her, but found she couldn't move. Looking down, vines had wrapped around her ankles. Casca screamed in pain.

* * *

Isma was free from Elfhelm at last. Passing through the barrier had been no hardship whatsoever. She continued swimming down the river, just focused on getting out to sea, once she got there, she could call out to the merrows and make her way back home with them. The sea was a dangerous and mysterious place, even she could be attacked by giant tentacle monsters and sharped tooth aquatic beasts. The sea, was no place for a lone merrow girl who didn't know her way around. She'd have to be careful. She'd find a group of friendlies to travel with if she needed to.

"Help!"

Isma stopped at the sound of a frantic female voice. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sound of the water and found a disruption in the rhythm. Someone was drowning.

Quickly, Isma swam and sought out the disturbance. She saw a pair of legs, frantically trying to keep the girl above water but it was obvious she didn't know how to swim. Also, the girl was surrounded by three sharped tooth beasts.

The beasts were just about to attack, when Isma torpedoed into one and punching it in its belly. Blood gushed from the beast and called to the two others. Isma quickly grabbed the girl and swam for land as the two beasts devoured the injured. Food was food to them.

Isma got the girl onto land first before transforming her tail back to legs and getting onto land as well. The girl was panting for air, but not unconscious.

"Are you okay?" Isma asked her.

Opening her eyes, the girl stared at Isma and then wrapped her arms around Isma and began to cry. "Thank you! Thank you so much for saving me! I thought I was going to die."

"It was no problem," Isma smoothed the girl's long wavy black hair, comforting her. "How'd you get in the water?"

"It was horrible, a nightmare," The girl was shaking and dressed in a white nightgown. "All I remember was being taken from a fire festival… I'm a gypsy, I dance for money" she explained. "I was taken out to sea by my captors when one night, a ghastly ship emerged from the water and attacked. The attackers looked like they should be dead, but they were alive. I jumped into the water and began to swim for land that was sighted before the attack, but then my leg cramped and I couldn't make it. I thought I was going to die."

"It's okay, what's your name? I'm Isma" She continued to comfort the girl.

"I'm Fresia," The girl said.

"Let me see your leg Fresia." Isma took a good look at it but nothing looked wrong about it but just because she couldn't see a problem, didn't mean there wasn't a problem. "Can you stand?"

Fresia got up and walked a little, but it was obvious that her leg was very painful. "This is a problem," Isma sighed and then pointed. "This is Skellig Island. It's protected by a powerful elf."

"Elf?" Fresia's eyes widened and then Isma saw her go into her nightgown's pocket and pulled out a jar.

Isma gasped and took the jar quickly. "Puck!"

* * *

"You poor fool," Slan stood showing off her perfectly rounded ass. "You're so weak and yet you strive to protect. Only the strong can truly protect what they love and value." She said. "Now for being so pathetic, I'm going to have my way with your lover. He is a sacrifice to the Godhand so be happy that I only mean to defile his body in front of you and not kill him. I do so yearn to have his weapon slice me through."

"You're sick," Casca spat out.

"We're all a little sick," She smiled. "When I'm finished with him though, I'll gladly whip you until you bleed. Then I'll suck those sweet nipples until your juices pour from you."

Casca grimaced. "Why? Why are you doing this?"

"Why?" Slan thought for a moment. "What a silly question. I do it because I can. I do it because you haven't realized that you have all the power to stop me from doing it."

Casca was confused, power? She had power? This bitch was crazy. Casca's muscles were throbbing from exertion, her body bleeding from the hundreds of slices she'd endured, her ankle was swelling too and pain was making her vision blurry.

"I don't understand," Casca said.

Slan sighed as she stopped touching Guts. "The power's between those beautiful breasts of yours."

Casca looked down at the Behelit and then back up at her.

"You're the owner of that Behelit," Slan said. "Only you can awaken it, so why don't you? You have nothing else to fight with. That sword-" Slan thrust her hand out and the gust of wind she created was so powerful, Casca's sword shot from her hand, slicing through demons killing them and embedding into the waterfall.

"You lack the power needed to fight beings such as me," Slan smiled. "So did this wonderful sacrifice. I gave him the power to fight beings like me."

Casca remained silent for a moment, "How?"

Slan laughed, "I think you're going to make me like you even more than I like this man," she said. "I do so love beautiful women with hatred in their eyes."

"Are you going to tell me?" Casca asked.

"Only if you admit that you are weak and that you want the power to defeat me," she said.

Casca bit her lip. It was true. She was weak and she did want the power but was this truly the right way to gain the power? "How did you give him the power?"

Slan stared at her and saw the seriousness in her face, in every line of her body. She smiled, pleased. "All right. I let him impale me with that massive weapon of his."

The double entendre sickened Casca because she knew Slan got a sexual charge from it.

"That weapon of his has stored up so much astral energy it is able to kill beings such as me now," she said. "But he had to go through a lot to garner that much energy. Every night, fighting for his life, struggling to protect you. He wielded that sword with ferocity, never giving up. He believed in his own strength and I rewarded him for it. If you make the right choice, you'll be rewarded as well."

Casca's hands balled into fists.

"You were weakened the night of The Eclipse when you saw your comrades die before you. You lost your mind when the man you'd admired for so long, the man who'd saved you from being raped brutally, instead raped you beautifully in front of the man you'd fallen in love with. That man, this sacrifice had to watch, weak and powerless to stop Femto's large cock thrusting into your, his lover's sweet cunt. This man lost his arm and eye in the struggle and protected you after for years when you'd gone insane. What's more… your child."

Casca's womb throbbed with great pain and she fell to her knees clutching her stomach. The memory of her baby being born way before it should have been, way before she'd even known she was with child, flooded her mind.

"You were a mother and foolish you didn't even know. You couldn't protect your man or your child. So your baby left your womb as a deformed monster, because why should it stay with a woman who can't protect it? You were so weak, that baby had to save your life on numerous occasions- a baby! How pathetic! A grown woman like you, a warrior, a commander of thousand men, leader of the Band of the Hawk in pre-Femto's stead."

Tears began to pour down Casca's face as the memories came to her. In her head though, she saw the Guardian battling with the memories, trying to protect her sanity. Even the dog had left the castle to fight beside the guardian.

Slan continued, "Lastly, and what's worse is your child lives."

Casca's head lifted to look at Slan who was now standing before her. "Your baby lives but the poor thing was eaten by an apostle and then used- yes, I said used- as a body for the Hawk of Light."

Slan's chest opened to show Casca, Griffith reborn as the Hawk.

"This is what your baby has become," Slan told her. "A vessel for Femto. Femto now rules over a wondrous superior nation called Falconia. It's beautiful the way he deceives the people using your baby."

Casca focused on the images of Griffith on Slan's chest. He looked as beautiful as ever, fighting and riding upon a white horse leading demons and humans into battle, giving the people a chance to see their loved ones. He looked like a painting come to life. But the bastard, no he was more than a bastard, he was a fucking evil bastard, had taken over her and Guts' child to gain flesh. She knew what Slan said was true because she knew how Elaine reacted to seeing him, it was the same reaction she got to the demon child and the moonlight boy.

"But what can you do about it?" Slan closed off the images. "You have no power to go up against him. You cannot free your child from his clutches in this state."

"Why are you helping me?" Casca asked, eyes narrowed.

"Helping you?" Slan's laugh was more a chuckle. "I suppose I am in a way, but truly, I do it all for me and my pleasure. It will please me to see you struggle. But in your state you can't even struggle properly. If you gain the power, you will be able to fight. The more you fight, the more pleasure I receive."

"I understand," Casca nodded. "You're a sadistic bitch that takes pleasure from the pain of others."

"I am that and more," Slan confessed and then reached out to rub Casca's breasts and then take the Behelit into her palm. "You have the reasons to use this now."

Casca glared at her and then her eyes went to Guts who was still sound asleep. "You want me to sell my soul for power."

"I want you to realize that some things in life are fated," she said. "You will use this Behelit, you will attain power. I don't know when but you will."

"Are the Godhand and Flowerstorm King together?" Casca asked.

"No, that bitch is far too pure. It's so disgusting I yearn to defile her even more than I did last night," Slan released the Behelit and went onto her knees before Casca. "You're pure too but there is a seed of defilement within you too, I think I've watered it just enough." Slan's hand reached up to cup Casca's branded breast. The brand was seeping blood.

"You'd be dead if I wasn't in my lesser form," Slan said as she bent to Casca's breast and began to lick her blood.

How could Casca fight? She had no weapon, she was weak against this Godhand. But though she was weak, Casca balled her fist and punched Slan hard in the face. Her hand though, just went through Slan.

"Use the Behelit," Slan said. "Use it and maybe next time that hit will land. Until then, be a good little bitch and let me taste these breasts you've exposed for my eyes."

"I will kill you," Casca vowed as she tried to hit Slan again, but her hits did nothing. Slan's mouth latched onto Casca's nipple and she sucked hard and moaned.

"I know you will," Slan pushed Casca onto her back and got on top. "I feel your anger, I feel your rage. You can't stop me from doing these things to you. Use the Behelit and you will never have to feel another demon sucking on your cunt like I'm going to do." Slan's tongue turned into a snake-like cock. She reverse straddled Casca spread her thighs and began to dip her face in between. All Casca could see was Slan's perfect ass, she continued trying to move Slan off of her. She closed her eyes to her fate, unable to move the astral being. She grabbed onto the Behelit and held it tightly.

Just as Casca was about to say words that would awaken the object… Just before Slan's snake tongue could delve between Casca's folds, a loud swish and gust of wind brushed over Casca. Blood gushed all over Casca's front, her eyes opened and she found Slan gone, the only thing left behind was blood all over her. And then Casca saw Guts, naked before her, his Dragon Slayer dripping blood. Slan's snake-tongue was on the ground and Guts stepped on it before looking down at Casca. She was covered in wounds, her right ankle was a lot bigger than the other which meant is was probably broken. Her beautiful face had cuts as well and the brand on her breast seeping blood.

Casca put her hands to her face, to cover her embarrassment. The Behelit still in her hand.

* * *

Okay and that's it for today!

Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 10: Casca's Resolve

Hey Strugglers!

Here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk. All ownership belongs to Kentarou Miura.

 **Berserk**

 **Chapter 10: Casca's Resolve**

"Puck!"

Isma opened the jar and slid the injured Puck out onto her hand. Raising his little body to her ear she listened for a heartbeat, there was one but it was faint. Fat tears poured from her eyes.

"You know him?" Fresia asked softly.

Isma nodded as snot began to drain from her nose. "We didn't know what had happened to him. He'd just gone missing. Where did you find him?"

"At the fire festival," Fresia said. "He was being auctioned off but then bandits disrupted to festival. I felt so sad for him, I managed to steal him away… I'm actually good at pickpocketing. I was running away when suddenly, I was grabbed and knocked unconscious. It was good that I'd put him into my breasts and that those men didn't try to rape me." Fresia exhaled. "I thought they were going to, but apparently because of my beauty, they didn't want to harm me. They wanted to sell me to a wealthy lord in Falconia."

"Falconia?" Isma was intrigued but she knew that Puck was in a horrible condition. His wings were plucked off and he was unconscious.

"I can tell you about-" Fresia sneezed. "Oh dear I hope I don't get a fever."

"Yes, we should go," Isma carefully put Puck back into the bottle for safekeeping and then had Fresia get on her back, not wanting the girl to injure her leg any worse.

"We're going to Elfhelm right?" Fresia asked.

"Yes," Isma nodded and continued forward slowly. She could go back now. Guts wouldn't hate her if she brought Puck back. Then there was Fresia, this doll-faced girl was a beautiful liar who was obviously interested in getting into Elfhelm. She'd had Puck in her possession and Isma didn't know how to interrogate her properly, so she'd leave the interrogation to the Flowerstorm King, Schierke, Farnese or even Guts. Isma didn't care. There was something off about this Fresia girl.

* * *

"Stay here," Guts moved from her and began to tear through all the demons left behind. All the demons that had dared to hurt her. Pure rage enveloped him but those lesser demons just weren't enough. He'd been fast asleep as Casca was attacked. He'd just opened his eyes all of a sudden and there was Slan about to push that disgusting snake-like tongue into Casca's wounded body. Casca had been trying to fight, he could tell by the way she bucked and struggled beneath a being she couldn't destroy on her own.

Casca sat up and watched him destroy the demons. He was so powerful, so beautiful in his wrath. Her heart thudded in her chest as she watched his fluid movements. It was obvious he was a true master of destruction and vengeance. He was perfect.

Casca began to get up, but then she gasped in pain and Guts cursed vehemently her way. He came at her like a bull, picked her up because to him she weighed next to nothing.

"Didn't I tell you to stay here?" He growled down at her.

She didn't like his tone, so she punched him in his face and he nearly dropped her. "I haven't moved from this fucking spot!" she growled back at him and he realized she hadn't.

"You were going to though," he countered.

"Yes because you seemed to be having so much fun slaying those demons!" She spat back.

"Fun?" His eyes widened at her and she thought he'd burst a vein in his head. "That was anything but fun! I wish those fucking bastards were strong enough to make suffer! They died so fucking easily-"

"Easily!" Casca hit him again. "Of course they were easy for you! But me? I couldn't kill any of them!" she beat at his chest as the tears swept down her face. "I tried! I tried so hard! They wouldn't die! They just wouldn't die!"

Guts stopped and let her pummel him.

"My fucking sword was useless against them! I was useless against them! I- I tried to protect you! But I couldn't even do that! That fucking bitch, Slan, put her hands all over you!" Her body began to shake but she continued to hit him out of her great frustration. "You wouldn't wake up! I was so worried! I didn't know what happened! I thought she'd done something to you! I kept fighting! I didn't stop fighting but still there was nothing I could do! I couldn't reach you! I couldn't stop her! My arms are so fucking weak! Why am I so fucking weak?"

Guts didn't know what to say. Casca was weak, he couldn't lie and say she wasn't but she was also strong. So very strong, she amazed him. He didn't know how to tell her that though, how could he make her see?

Sighing, he headed for the waterfall with Casca and his sword. He rested the Slayer down and saw Casca's sword embedded in the middle of the lake. Somehow it had gotten there, which meant Casca must've been fighting so ferociously Slan needed to divest her of it. Guts sat down in the water with Casca in his lap, silently holding her and began to wash her.

That's when he noticed the Behelit. "You found it?" he asked.

She shook her head. "It was on me when I woke," she said to him. "It won't come off."

He tried to break it, and with his strength it should've been easy, but it didn't. "Enchanted," he said.

"Slan told me that it was the Flowerstorm King who put it on me," She explained. "And also the sleeping powder."

"I've been too careless," his big hands rubbed her skin gently. "I brought you here to protect you and you end up getting attacked. That's not unusual, it's actually expected. But the fact that I couldn't wake up. I couldn't help you when you needed me. I didn't even know you were in trouble. yet again," his voice became soft and constricted. "Yet again I've failed to protect you."

Casca stared at him, as with a grim, but shockingly sad face, he began to rub all the blood from her skin. Casca opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger to her lips, her bottom lip had been cut as well and she squinted at the pain.

"You're not the only one who feels weak Casca," he said.

"But you-"

"Yes, I can slay monsters," he talked over her. "Every obstacle thrown at me so far I seem to overcome. But what's been thrown at me are just fodder demons. They're a worthless detail in the overall picture. If Zodd was to show up, I might stand a chance now. But what happens if I defeat Zodd and then another fucker just as strong or stronger shows up? What about the Godhand, what about that fucking bastard Griffith? Am I strong enough to defeat them all? Me against them right now is the same as you against those lesser demons. We are both weak Casca. At the Eclipse, when that bastard gave us all up as sacrifices, I had to watch-" He clamped his jaw tight. "I had to watch as he- he- defiled you! I fought! I gave it my all but my hands couldn't reach you! I cut off my fucking arm to get to you and that wasn't enough! So stop it!"

Casca gasped in shock as Guts put his hands on her shoulders. "You are not alone Casca. We both need to fight, we both need to get stronger. We will get stronger together. I don't know what that bitch Slan told you but don't believe anything she said-"

"But it was the truth-"

He glared hard at her and she nearly choked on her spit. "Casca, you want to know something?" He pulled her into a straddle upon him, his hand on her back, he moved a finger along her spine. "You are very strong."

"No I was strong back then but now-" he put a hand over her mouth.

"Interrupt me again and I'll turn you over my knee and spank you until you cry," he watched the fire flare in her eyes. She was going to dare him to do it.

"You wouldn't-"

He remained silent, just watching her. He would indeed. "Bastard," she huffed.

"Yes but I'm your bastard," he shrugged the insult off. "Casca, last night when I put you to sleep-"

She was about to interrupt but stopped herself with the look he gave to her.

"I licked you out, you shook and screamed, exhausted you fell asleep," he rubbed her backside. "As you slept the Flowerstorm King came. She must've put the Behelit on you after I talked with her. Damned bitch told me it was lost, she probably had it all along. Anyway, she'd analyzed the battle in Schierke's room and the long and short of it is. You won."

"Won?" She frowned. "I don't understand. I couldn't slay that being-"

"You were slaying it mentally," he put his hand to his temple. "The being wanted to get into your head, did you let it?"

"Well no but-"

"It was supposed to be a really quick mind suggestion," Guts explained. "I don't know how it works, but you fought hard and long against it. According to the King if I hadn't shown up, your very will would've won out against Ivalera who was controlling the astral being. You won."

She'd won. Okay. That was something she supposed.

"I was very proud of you," he gave her a small smile. "I wanted to tell you that last night. You'd lasted in a fight long enough for me to come in and save you."

"I- I didn't really want you to save me- I'm not a princess or a damsel in distress," she told him softly.

"Yes, you're a warrior," he nodded. "But you battling that thing was supposedly a good thing according to the King. I'm not too sure I trust her all the way especially after she blew that powder in my face and left me open to attacks and unable to protect you."

"I wondered what that stuff was," she said. "I was going to wipe it off when Slan came."

Guts frowned and looked around at their beautiful surroundings. "Slan getting in here is a big problem, even if it was just her lesser form. The shield here isn't as strong as I thought. I'll have to speak to the King and see what happened last night."

"Quite a lot happened," Casca sighed.

"Yes," he nodded. "So let's wash up and get something to eat. I'm going to be on my guard from now on and you should be as well. I don't think we're as safe as I thought before anymore. I don't like that she put this Behelit around your neck and it won't come off either. Then there's Puck, he's gone missing. I thought he had the Behelit but it's here and he's not, I'm worried about him. Then there's Schierke and the others I need to check on."

"You really care about them don't you?" Casca managed a smile.

"I don't know how it happened," he said. "But somehow they've all come to be very important to me."

"That's really nice," she kissed his cheek. "I hope one day they'll be as important to me as they are to you."

"What do you mean? They aren't important to you?" He frowned. "Farnese has helped you out a lot-"

"Yes- I know, I mean… how to explain," she thought for a moment. "I remember everything Farnese has done for me when I was out of it. I do think she's important and I appreciate her so much. But- you've had time to grieve the Band and I haven't. Losing them is still fresh to me, even though it's been more than two years so- I'm not sure I can make such a deep connection to them, like the one I had with Judeau and the others. It's going to take a little time for me."

"I get that," he stood up and held out his hand to her.

She took it and then cupped him between the legs.

"Cas-"

She grinned then, mischievously and then stepped out of the water. "You know when I woke this morning, I had planned to wash quickly and wake you up in a very pleasurable way."

He stepped out watching her. She looked over her shoulder. "I had it all planned out. The first thing you were supposed to see when you opened your eyes was your cock in my mouth. It was supposed to be a very memorable morning."

"Re- really," his throat constricted and his cock began to harden at the thought even though he'd vowed not to let her get close to him so they could talk about what had happened. Damned dangerous woman always messing with his heads.

Casca sighed. "Yes and if by chance my mouth didn't wake you up, I actually planned to have my wicked way with you. You wouldn't have stood a chance as I rode you like a horse."

He pulled her to him, hand on her ass and kissed her. "I wish I could kill Slan even more now for messing up your plans." He really did like her plans, he wanted her with every fiber of his being..

"We could still-"

He shook his head. "No, we'd never leave here if we started and as much as I want to fuck you all over this place, there's a lot we have to do today."

"You're right." She sighed. "So go ahead and I'll catch up. My body's throbbing and it's annoying me."

He watched as she slipped her hand between her thighs to rub. He looked to the sky and knew he was gone.

Casca gasped when she found herself up on Guts' shoulders, her privates buried in his face. She grabbed his head to hold on. It did not take long for her to release. That surprised Guts. So he gave her another good one that left her a little shaky when he put her down.

"You were really on the edge," he whispered. "Sorry I didn't realize,"

She hugged his waist. "Thank you," she said. "I don't know what Slan did but I had a terrible ache I was trying to hide but- you're just so appealing I couldn't resist wanting-"

He kissed her deeply. "I understand. You don't have to use your hand if you want to cum okay. Just ask and I'll gladly release you."

"Even if we're seated at a table to eat?"

He blinked down at her and then found a grin popping on his face at that. "If you're wearing a dress at that table and you're seated on my right I'll find no hardship slipping my hand under to touch you."

"Disrespectful. We'd get found out," she grinned and they continued their little banter as they left the water and put on their clothes.

She continued laughing and jesting with him but, truly only to cover her feelings. She stared down at the Behelit between her breasts. He'd tried to help her understand that they were both equal in terms of weakness and she loved him for it but there was no way around the fact that in a fight, she'd be nothing but a hindrance to him. She needed to become stronger. She was the owner of the Behelit, an object that could somehow give her the power she desired. She would find out more about it before she used it. And she would use it. She already knew she would. Her resolve was set.

Guts had told her to use everything in her arsenal to defeat the demons. The Behelit was in her arsenal, once she found out what she needed to know, she would take fate into her own hands and accept it for what it was.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Guts queried since she'd gone so silent suddenly.

"Nothing," she gave him a small smile. "Just hungry."

* * *

Isidro lay on his back staring up at the branches and leaves that made the ceiling of Schierke's bedroom. Beside him, the little witch, who was not so little anymore also lay having just woken up a moment ago. The morning light streamed through the window pane, bathing them with warmth.

Turning his head to glance at Schierke, she was on her side, her back to him so he couldn't see her face, but he knew she was awake from the sound of her breathing, the beating of her heart and the stiffness in her spine.

The blanket did little to cover both of their nakedness. Schierke's body had developed curves unlike any he'd seen before. She was fully a woman with the body of a temptress. Putting a hand over his face, he felt a smattering of facial hair that hadn't been there hours before. He too had developed.

But that was to be expected according to the Flowerstorm King. Laying with Schierke had been an experience he would never, ever in a million years forget. It hadn't been done in love, for he didn't love her; but out of compassion and sadness, the need to help a young girl who was dying from pain.

8*******8

"Young Isidro, there is something I must ask of you," The Flowerstorm King said to him as soon as Isma had left the room and the door had closed before he could leave.

Isidro turned to her with a wondering gaze. A strange feeling as if something big was about to happen came over him and he sat and listened to her explain the situation.

The direness of it became clear as Schierke's pain intensified and the King had to restrain her arms and legs with vines. Schierke's body had begun to morph, ripping the gown she wore to shreds. The nothing-there chest she'd had grew into full, ripe breasts, her hips widened, legs lengthened, face slimmed down to that of a woman with a regal face, pert nose, full lips, high cheekbones; her short green hair also grew into long wavy locks.

"It has happened," The King looked at him. "Her Witching Time is almost complete. The worst of it will happen now that she has become a woman. She will need you now."

He hadn't had time to panic outright, his heart had jumped into his throat at the sound of her crying, the tears streaming down her little face, and the shaking… the shaking just got worse and worst.

He hadn't needed to ask the King anything else, she'd explained it in the simplest of terms. He hadn't time to be embarrassed. He'd just asked her to leave the room to give them the privacy they both deserved.

"I understand," The King gave him a nod. "I leave Schierke to you."

He hadn't responded, his heart was beating so loud in his chest he couldn't hear her over it. He just stared at Schierke who had been pinned down. Once the King had disappeared, Isidro, with shaky hands undressed and went to the bed.

He didn't like that she was restrained, and even though he'd been told vehemently by the King not to release Schierke's bonds, he knew once she'd left, he would cut her loose. Her wrists and ankles were bleeding from her effort to release herself.

Pulling out Salamander, he got on top of her, straddling her soft, naked, womanly form. Blood drained from his nose at the sight of her pink tinged breasts, but wiping it off with the back of his hand, he first cut her legs and she bucked under him, a wild, beautiful creature.

It was foolish. He should've just done the deed with her tied down but that didn't sit right with him. If he was going to become a real man, he needed to start behaving like one.

Guts would never tie Casca down and have his way with her.

So Isidro wouldn't either… though he wasn't having his way with her, just helping her.

But he hated the restraints on her so he cut her arms loose and they automatically went to his neck to choke him; but before they could grip him, he forced her arms down, pulling out his own strength. She might've grown a bit, but she wasn't adjusted to her new body. She had strength but wouldn't be able to pull it all out. He, on the other hand, had been training with Guts, Casca and even Serpico, so though he might not look it, he too had the strength required to handle her.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began to do what he'd seen men in taverns do to women… but far less impatient and rough. He was gentle with her and even thought about how Guts would handle the situation.

As big and rough as Guts could be, Isidro had witnessed a tenderness, a certain softness in the man. He saw the way Guts handled Casca once he'd rescued her from the tower of conviction. He'd been very careful with her because women, though strong in their own ways, could be very fragile against a man such as Guts.

Guts inspired him like no man ever had. Truthfully, he was the father Isidro had never had and he wanted to learn as much as possible about being a man through Guts. Guts wasn't perfect, but no man was. However, Guts had qualities Isidro wanted to hone within himself and so as he took the steps on the road to reaching manhood, Isidro used Guts as a model.

He was strong but caring, forceful but could be vulnerable too. All of this culminating into Isidro ensuring Schierke was ready for what he was about to do. He wished she was aware, wished he could ask her to let him into her, but she wasn't and she wouldn't be unless he made her.

And so he did. Stiff and ready, because Schierke was so beautiful that any man would be ready to have her at any time, Isidro searched for her entrance. He fumbled for a bit. It wasn't as easy because he was trembling with fear. Dipping a finger in gently, heat shot through him and he bit his lip hard. He took his time inserting another finger and then a third, making certain she was ready for him. The wetness on his fingers told him she was so he removed his fingers, placed himself at her entrance, bit his lip even harder and pushed in, breaching her.

Schierke screamed and fought him, but he closed his eyes and thrust. Over and over and over again he went until she clung to him like a child on a rushing river holding onto a log. He gritted his teeth and continued, doing as The Flowerstorm King had told him. Releasing her would take a bit of work, he'd have to stave off his own needs which was damn near impossible because after just a few good thrusts, his hardness all wrapped around by her body's natural warmth and suction, he came instantly.

But though his mind had become foggy with the pleasure of his own release, he continued on. He would feel her release around him. She just needed one. It was mandatory that she get one big, explosive release. After that one time, he didn't have to do more unless she wanted it.

Isidro's groans bubbled out of him, sweat began to drip as he worked her out and he could feel her close, so close. Grabbing a breast, he enclosed his mouth over her nipple and sucked. Schierke gasped beneath him, and then he felt her quickening and he pounded into her. He couldn't think about if he was too rough, all he thought about was getting her there.

And then she was there. A loud moan, so feminine and breathy passed her lips and he felt her entire body go taut, her legs began to shake uncontrollably and her core gripped him so hard, his eyes rolled back and he began to shout as his own release stole through his body.

Exhausted, he put his face in her neck, unable to move and felt her walls spasm around him, milking him. But the night wasn't over, because suddenly he felt his body begin to change. He'd been told about it but still he wasn't prepared for his entire body to morph while still inside of Schierke. There shouldn't be much pain, just discomfort because her power had healing capabilities pouring into him.

He wanted to pull out, but her legs had wrapped around his waist like an octopus and wouldn't let him move. So he grew… big. His back, his thighs, legs, torso, shoulders, neck, everything filled out and Schierke moaned again and his eyes shot down to look at her.

Her eyes were opened now. Staring back at him, aware instantly but then his stiff member had gotten bigger too, stretching and filling her even more, his balls grew big and heavy as well and her eyes glazed over with passion.

"Schierke-"

"Don't stop," she gritted out. "Don't. Don't stop."

* * *

Um… yeah that happened. I don't know how I feel about Isidro and Schierke getting it on, considering their ages but I think with Berserk it's okay to push the envelope. Disturbing and far more uncomfortable things have happened in the Berserk manga, so I think this is actually quite tame.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it!

Until I post again, keep struggling!


	12. Chapter 11: Stranger with Salamander

Hey guys!

Here's the next chapter! I hope you guys like it. Enjoy

Disclaimer: I do not own Berserk.

 **Berserk:**

 **Chapter 11: The Stranger with Salamander**

Isidro hadn't stopped. He did as Schierke asked and thanked the heavens because he'd wanted his own release again. His newly formed body clamored for it and he was rough.

She didn't seem to mind either because her own body moved beneath him now, responding. She was no longer just lying there having him take care of her… she was reciprocating. It touched him deeply that she would give back to him. Then again, maybe she too just wanted to continue because she also needed another release.

After the fourth time they'd come together, Isidro hazily realized that they were feeding off of each other's lusts. She was atop him and he watched her move upon him until his back arched. He grabbed her hips and began to thrust upward, throwing her into a new, more frantic rhythm. She grabbed his muscular shoulders and continued riding him, her breasts bouncing up and down, nipples calling for his lips so he pulled up and latched on and she came like a storm around him.

He grunted beneath her as her walls tightened like a vise and he exploded up into her, releasing in long, hard spurts.

Finally spent, Schierke laid atop him, face in his neck, body still around him. His hands remained on her rounded backside, caressing.

"Thank you,"

"No problem," he whispered back to her, breathless.

Then he felt her steady breathing and knew she'd fallen asleep… with him still inside of her. He didn't mind, he just wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to rest. It had been a long night for them both.

He didn't know what the morning would hold for them, but for now, they were both at peace. She was now a woman, he was now a man. He had lost his virginity and she had made it through her Witching Time.

Isidro fell asleep wrapped up in Schierke. When they'd parted from each other on the bed, he wasn't certain, but she'd had at him again once more and he gladly let her have her way with the new body he'd attained in return for his service.

* * *

Isidro let the memory end as he scratched his hair, it was longer now too. His hands were bigger. He felt bigger all around. He was different and he'd have to accept that fact. He was no longer a little boy of fourteen, but a man of twenty. He didn't know what it meant to be a man but he was determined to learn.

With his new body, he would need to train it hard to give it even more power and strength. His fighting technique would change too since he was taller now. He didn't know how tall but gauging from headboard to the end of the bed, his feet was a foot longer. He was pretty fricking tall.

Sitting up, he yawned. He needed to piss, so he got up and trudged to the bathing area unclothed. He felt Schierke's eyes on him and it made him a little self-conscious. He probably should've found something to cover himself but unless he was taking the blanket from her there was nothing on hand and he really needed to go.

Relieving himself quickly, he was about to leave when his eyes caught the mirror. The man looking back at him…he could hardly believe it.

He was big and tall. Not nearly as big as Guts but damn he'd filled out considerably. His arms, if trained properly would possibly be able to lift the Dragonslayer. Tears came to his eyes, he didn't know this guy in the mirror.

"It's you,"

Startled, Isidro turned swiftly, but being unused to his new size he toppled to the ground, sprawled open before Schierke. She stared down at him, eyes locking on his jewels and then up to his face.

"Regardless of what you look like, you are still you," Schierke told him, looking away. She was wrapped in the blanket. Walking into the bathroom, she passed him, snapped her fingers and the tub began to fill with water automatically.

"Are you going to stay on the floor?" She dropped the blanket and got into the tub.

He watched her, body stiffening from the sight. The top of her head would reach his shoulder. Her breasts were pretty big, but not overly so, they fit her new frame to perfection and her hips were wide giving her a pleasing, hourglass figure. He lifted from the floor and turned to see her sit in the tub.

"I guess we both have a lot to learn about what's happened to us," He turned his eyes away from her, just because they'd laid together, it didn't mean he had the right to ogle her. He'd accepted a job and done it.

"Indeed," she said. He could hear her washing, lathering up her hair. "Why'd you do it?"

"You needed help, I was here," he told her simply.

She was silent for a moment. "It's going to be challenging for you,"

"I like challenges," he said.

"Your mental and emotional status-"

He looked at her, "I'll be fine," he said to her. "I had the choice to leave or stay. I stayed. As a man, I will not complain about the decisions I willingly make. It will be challenging, I accept the challenge gladly" He said.

"You could've died."

"I almost did," He continued to stare at her because how could he not with soap all over her nice body. He rubbed his neck, "It was so good I nearly died five times."

Schierke's face reddened instantly and she broke eye contact, embarrassed. "We- We can't do that again." she began to wash the suds from her body.

Taken aback, quite frankly shocked and even a little dismayed, he asked, "Why not?"

"What do you mean?" she stepped out of the tub, clipped her fingers and a towel appeared to wrap around her body.

"You know what," he gritted out. He wanted her again. In fact, he wanted her more than he could count.

Schierke's sighed and headed from the bathroom. "Isidro you're not a little boy anymore," she said. "If you're going to throw a temper tantrum because I said we can't lay with each other again, then please do it somewhere else."

"No," he followed her. "I'm not going to get angry. I just want to understand. Last night was amazing."

She turned on him, her long green hair wet and loosely curled. "Last night was hell," she corrected.

"I meant the ending part of it," he explained. "You were enjoying yourself."

Her eyes widened at him. "Are you serious?"

His face suddenly turned into a look of confusion. "Yes I'm very serious. You liked it. You asked me not to stop. You-"

"You think I was enjoying myself," she threw her hands up. "I can't believe it. Trust a man to misunderstand the situation."

"What?" He felt his anger pique. "How is remembering the way you clung and the sounds you made, how is remembering the way you moved on top of me, or beneath me misunderstanding the situation?"

She clapped her hands and suddenly was dressed in a plum colored dress that fit her curves and emphasized them beautifully. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. He wasn't delusional, she'd enjoyed what they'd done, immensely.

"Isidro," she grabbed her stick. "Last night was your first time, right?"

"So what?" he asked. Just because he had no experience, that didn't mean he couldn't know if she was positively responsive to him.

"So it's obvious you know nothing about women," as she spoke she began to clean the room, not even giving him her undivided attention.

Sure, he understood they didn't have those deep loving feelings for each other but-

"A woman can pretend to enjoy what a man is doing," she said.

"You weren't pretending though," he countered.

"No I wasn't. In fact, I was in so much pain I couldn't even pretend if I wanted to," she continued. "Last night was the worst night of my life. It was horrible and mortifying. You were rough and impatient and didn't even know you were."

"But your body-"

"My body? You mean this new body that I still need to get used to?" she frowned at him. "Isidro, this body reacted that way to you because what we were doing was physically stimulating. I, mentally, emotionally, did not enjoy myself because I was too out of it to even enjoy it. Our bodies took control last night, it was nothing but our carnal natures, lust of the flesh. You can arouse a body and the body will release and enjoy it but that person could be completely against what's happening-"

Isidro remained silent, not knowing how to counter that. He'd thought they were on the same page.

"I didn't like last night," she told him stiffly. "Contrary to what you think. You might've had a great time, but as for me, I felt mortified and embarrassed because my body was enjoying it but I wasn't. How can I enjoy something so intimate with a man I don't love or feel anything for?"

Isidro walked about the room. He found Salamander, picked it up and headed for the door. "I understand," he said as he opened the door and then looked back at her, eyes welling because his emotions were all over the place and this new body he needed to learn more of wasn't helping him out. "I'm sorry… for everything." Then he walked out, shut the door and shocked everyone he passed by with his nakedness.

Schierke exhaled and dropped to her knees. That had been close, if she hadn't made him leave, they'd probably be on the bed again. And that couldn't happen. Doing that with him had been all right during the window of Witching Time but now that the Time was over, continuing to do that would result in her getting with child.

This was no time for that. She couldn't even imagine being a mother yet.

So she needed him to leave so she could work out what to do from then on. There had to be a medicine of some sort she could take so if she decided she'd like to have him or any other man again, then she wouldn't have to worry about natural repercussions.

Her heart was pounding in her chest. She shouldn't be thinking this way though. This was just not the time to be having these feelings and she didn't want to complicate things any more than they already were.

He'd done her a great service and that was that. They didn't need to go falling in love or lust with each other. No, that was dangerous. They didn't even really like each other.

But my word, he'd made her feel amazing last night. She never knew Isidro could be so… well, manly. And she didn't just mean his body, but he had been careful with her, giving her what she needed and then what she wanted. He hadn't stopped her from doing anything last night. After their first time, she could've let him go. His job had been done but it was her- she had clung to him and they'd gone at it again four or so more times.

And he'd liked it. She flushed and then slapped her face.

"It's no big deal," she muttered to herself. "Witching Time is over, I can't do that with him anymore. He'll be too big a distraction and I need to focus. We both need to focus on training our new bodies. There's a lot to do and I can't keep my thoughts on intimacy with him." She would still need to find that medicine though because she had a sinking feeling, she'd have him sinking back into her very soon, this body seemed insatiable.

She began to get up when she noticed a strange mark on the floor. "What's this?" she moved closer to look at it and then recognized what it was. "A forbidden rune. Why is this-" she hovered her hand over it and began to read the room.

She saw Ivalera use her powers to cloak the room first and then embedded a suggestion in Farnese and Serpico's minds. Sending Serpico to stand outside by the door, her and Farnese began caring for Schierke until Guts and Casca had arrived. Then Ivalera's plans had gone into full swing when Farnese left the room. She'd attacked Casca with Astral Maiden and Mind Cracker but Casca had fought back valiantly. Casca managed to hold the Astral Maiden off until Guts busted into the room, dissipating the barrier and releasing Casca from the Maiden. He'd been so angry he was going to kill Ivalera for hurting Casca but instead after a few words from Casca, he'd picked her up and jumped out of the window.

"Oh Ivalera," Schierke sighed. She'd been so wrong about her feelings for Guts. Donning her hat and picking up her staff, Schierke left the room. Ivalera would be with the Flowerstorm King. They needed to talk and hopefully Ivalera wasn't in too bad a way from using the forbidden elven techniques. They'd also have to apologize to Guts and Casca, she didn't like the thought of Guts being that enraged with her guardian, Ivalera. They'd have to come to some sort of agreement. Schierke hoped they could because she had a lot on her mind to think about just with Isidro.

* * *

Heading to the room he shared with Guts and Serpico, Isidro entered and was sorely disappointed that Guts wasn't back.

On his bed there was new clothes quite possibly from the Flowerstorm King. As he bent, he suddenly stopped as a pointed, needle-like blade came up to his neck, swiftly, before he even knew what he was doing, he defended himself with Salamander.

"Who are you?" Serpico said, his slanted eyes opening just a little, giving him a more menacing appearance.

Isidro stared at Serpico in wonderment at the situation, for just a brief moment. Then he realized he'd guarded himself perfectly. Serpico wasted no time attacking though, he wasn't the most patient of people when up against an enemy.

"Serp-" Isidro began to speak, but the lanky blonde with his superb skill continued to attack. Isidro, however, was a bit shocked that he could defend himself as well as he was doing. Every strike, every parry, every swish, Isidro blocked.

"Why do you have that blade?" Serpico asked and then became even more serious, his attacks swift as the wind. "Where's the boy you got it from?"

"Wait-" Isidro shouted dropping to the ground. He might be able to block a little better but he didn't know how to move fast with his new body. He rolled out of the way, got up and blocked the thrust meant to skewer him.

Suddenly the door opened, and Farnese walked in. "Serpico what's taking you so-" She stopped when she saw the naked, well-developed man with long brown hair and a tall, muscular frame. Her eyes widened as it dropped to the hairy patch between his legs and the long member hanging down in front of a spectacular set of balls.

Her mouth dropped open. With a gasp, she turned around and blushed. "Serpico what's going on?"

"Lady Farnese," Serpico finally got the stranger up against a wall, his blade imbedded into the guy's left shoulder. The Salamander was on the floor and the guy had his hands up, as if to say 'I give up'. Blood was dripping and the guy's handsome face was contorted with pain.

Farnese took a deep breath, turned and settled her features to impassivity. What did it matter if the man Serpico was fighting was built similarly to Guts? No one but Guts, that they knew of had shoulders that broad, legs that defined, a neck thick and corded and a stomach that flat and muscular.

Serpico was more lean strength. This guy was built like a big cat-like beast and had the hair to match. Farnese's green eyes narrowed as she looked at the man who was trying to speak. He was familiar, though Farnese was certain she'd never forget a man that looked as he did.

"Serpico, free him. Let him talk," she said, eyes drifting over him again. She felt a little tingly just staring at the man.

Serpico just glanced at her, but the moment he took his eyes off the stranger, the man kicked him in the gut, releasing the sword from his shoulder, scooped up the Salamander and got into a fighting stance, his eyes wild.

Serpico got in front of Farnese to protect her. Though clutching his stomach, he was still prepared to fight.

"Who are you?" Farnese asked the man.

"Isidro," he said to her. His voice was deep as well, to be expected. He sounded nothing like the little boy he'd been just hours ago.

"Isi-" Farnese gazed at him and then understood. "Witching Time."

Serpico looked at Farnese and then back at Isidro. "What is this Farnese?"

"I can't believe it," Farnese stepped back, shaking her head. "You laid with Schierke."

Isidro nodded.

Farnese's hand went to Serpico's that held his sword, silently ordering him to put the sword down. "You helped Schierke through her Witching Time," she said. "Isidro-"

"Yes it is me," he frowned. "I don't know how to get you to believe me but the Witching Time aged me by six years the same way it did to Schierke."

Serpico sheathed his sword, sighed and went to Isidro's bed. Grabbing the pants on it, he threw them at Isidro, who easily caught it and turned so Farnese could stop staring at his cock, the woman lacked shame the way she ogled him. He would've been flattered if he didn't have so much interest in Schierke and didn't know that Serpico had feelings for the blonde woman.

Even his rear end was a great sight to see, Farnese thought before the pants covered it and she cleared her throat. "So this is the new you,"

"Yes," Isidro turned around. "Can you both remember that so I'm not attacked again?"

"My apologies Isidro," Serpico told him. "Things have been strange since yesterday."

Farnese nodded in agreement. "We only remember heading down from Schierke's room with Guts to get some water from the wheel and then suddenly we awoke in my bed with headaches."

"I was with Isma heading back when we saw Guts tying you up. He handed you off to me and I brought you to your bedroom," Isidro explained as he went to don the shirt that was there on his bed. As he began to put the shirt on, he stopped and looked down at the wound Serpico had given him. It was healed and only a smear of blood was left. "I'm healed," he said.

Farnese moved towards him to look. "Must be an effect of Witching Time. Since you laid with Schierke you've probably developed a healing factor of some sort"

Isidro didn't think it was that per se, but he nodded stepping away from Farnese because he saw the way Serpico was looking at him and he didn't like it. "I wasn't able to get any details from Guts because he ran off to check on Casca."

"Casca? Where is she? I haven't seen her this morning," Farnese was slightly disappointed when his chest was covered. This was a problem, she realized. Never had she been so interested in a man's figure. She didn't think it was Isidro himself that was doing things to her, just his big, strong, manly body.

"Once I got you two settled, Isma and I headed for Schierke's room," He explained putting his sword belt on. "But by the time we got there, Guts was enraged at Ivalera and Casca was in his arms. He jumped out Schierke's window and ran through the forest in the direction of the waterfall. I'm not sure if they've been back and just left early this morning, or if they stayed out. He was very angry though."

"I think we need to gather everyone," Serpico said then. There were too many patches in the story of yesterday's events, everyone needed to be on the same page moving forward.

"I am heading out to find Guts and Casca," Isidro put the Salamander into his belt after pulling on the boots that was there. Everything fit him properly so the clothes were probably enchanted to stretch and fit or something. "I don't need him trying to strike me with his sword. I can't defend against that."

"Well I'll go see Schierke," Farnese turned to Serpico, "You can find Isma. We'll meet in the dining area for breakfast. I'm sure we're all famished." Then she was off quickly.

Serpico watched her go and then turned his eyes back to Isidro who was in the mirror wondering what to do with all the hair on his head. "Let me help you, Isidro," Serpico said.

Isidro looked at the guy, saw his sincerity, and sat down in a chair.

"You want to keep it long?" Serpico asked. "I fixed Farnese's hair when she'd cut it off."

"No, I think I want to keep it long for now," he said. "Maybe just tie it back and the hair in front of my face is in the way."

"Okay then," Serpico pulled out a clipper and began to work. "We'll have to do something about the hair on your face too."

"I think I want to keep it," Isidro told him as he looked in the mirror. Without the hair, who knew how much younger he would appear and he didn't want to look young. For some reason the hair on him, the new look, made him feel like a new person, more mature which is what he wanted to be. Also, Guts was always smooth shaven and if he was honest, he didn't want to copy the man to a tee. He liked the hair on his face, in any case.

It didn't take long for Serpico to finish grooming Isidro and Isidro was pleased to see how he looked now, a lot more decent and put together. He had a lot to learn. "Thank you."

Serpico put his hand on Isidro's shoulder. "If you need to talk about anything, don't be afraid to ask." Then Serpico left and Isidro glanced at his face in the mirror again. He didn't recognize the man looking back at him, but Schierke had said it was him. His eyes were the same but everything else had changed. He couldn't be the ridiculous boy he'd been anymore, but did that mean he had to be as serious as Serpico and Guts? He didn't know. Also, there was the problem with Schierke, just thinking about her and her beautiful self was making his new pants uncomfortable.

But she didn't want to continue on with that kind of relationship with him. She'd hated what they'd done even though he'd liked it very much. He'd hurt her, so she said, he didn't quite believe it because he'd tried to be as in tune with her reactions as possible. Albeit, he probably had banged her a bit roughly once his own body had yearned for release but she'd grabbed at him and clung, she hadn't pulled away as he thrust everything he had into her.

It was done to help her through her Witching Time, but maybe that didn't matter. He was the man who breached her for the first time, a man she didn't hate or particularly liked. He didn't know if she was the kind of girl who wished to have her first time with someone special, or a husband. But it wasn't his fault. He'd done the only thing he could do to help her. He'd desperately wanted to help her. He hadn't laid with her because he wanted to. Albeit after the first time all he'd wanted to do was keep her in bed with him.

"Damn," he felt the tears threatening. He needed a thicker skin. He'd been just fourteen before the transition, now he was six years older, a man. Six years, that was time a boy used to get that thick skin and develop. He didn't have the luxury of six years to shape himself. He would need help but Serpico was open to him and possibly Guts.

He headed out of the spirit tree and to the forest, but the further he got he felt his body strangely being pulled back.

He fought the pull though. He didn't want to think about her but she seemed to be the only thing he could think about.

The memories of her on top of him, gasping and bringing herself to release came to him, he balled his fists. Her eyes, those mesmerizing eyes haunted him. They'd been so clear, so aware of what was happening after their first release together. He didn't want her to hate him. He'd tried his best to make it good for her but he'd messed up. He felt sick and the feeling was getting worse the further he went. He began to vomit into a bush. There was nothing to come out of him and tears of confusion rushed down his face. He didn't know what to do.

He was a fool. Hadn't the Flowerstorm King warned him about the aftermath of coupling with her? Even though he helped her, she might, for her own personal reasons, hate him or want nothing else to do with him.

After a long moment, he wiped his face and tried to continue forward but realized he couldn't go any further. He was stuck. Panic began to set in but he took a deep breath and found a rock to sit down against.

"There's no need to panic, young Isidro,"

He went still as the voice of the Flowerstorm King entered his mind.

"What's going on? I can't go any further than this," He said.

"It's an effect of the Witching Time," she told him. "You can't go too far away from Schierke now. I didn't explain these things to you because I thought she would."

"We had a bit of an argument," Isidro sighed. "I think she hates me."

The King was silent for a moment. "How does she feel?"

"What?"

"I won't tell you everything as it is not my place," The King said, "But you two are deeply connected. You should be able to read her feelings even from that distance. I am with her now. Mentally reach out to her and discover the truth." She said. "I think you'll find that your thoughts on her feelings are quite wrong."

His heart began to pound suddenly in his chest at the thought of Schierke not hating him. "I don't understand but I guess I can try," he said.

"Good, I think you'll find it not so challenging," she told him. "Your bond is quite strong and you should connect easily enough if she's thinking about you too."

"Can you tell if she's thinking about me?" he stood up but didn't move from where he was.

"It's quite obvious her mind is divided," The King said. "She's here with Ivalera but she doesn't seem quite all here. So try and reach for her. Read her feelings and you'll know what to do from there because one of your finest skills is that you're observant."

The King's presence disappeared from his mind and Isidro forgot all about seeking Guts. Talking with Schierke was priority. So he closed his eyes, drowned out all sounds and pictured her. It was long minutes before he finally managed to feel something in his mind. Then he saw a door. He didn't knock. Instead, he opened it and walked right through… into Schierke's mind.

* * *

And that's this one guys!

Until next time, keep struggling!


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